FROM   THE   LIBRARY   OF 
REV.    LOUIS    FITZGERALD    BENSON,   D.  D. 

BEQUEATHED    BY   HIM   TO 

THE    LIBRARY   OF 

PRINCETON  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 


/WW 


FEB  14  1933 


•^ 


ELIJAH 


A     SACEED     DEAMA 


©tjjer  f  oems. 


BY 


REV.  ROBERT  DAVIDSON,  D.  D. 


NEW  YORK : 
CHARLES  SCRIBNER,  124  GRAND  STREET. 

1860. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1860,  by 
CHARLES   SCRIBNER, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the 
Southern  District  of  New  York. 


JOHN   F.   TROW, 

Printer  a?jd  Electrotyrer, 

50  Greene  street. 


TO  THE 

REV.    JOHN    M.   KREBS,   D.  D. 

Permit  me  to  inscribe  this  volume  to  you,  as  a  mark,  at 
once,  of  high  personal  regard,  and  a  grateful  recognition  of 
your  long-tried  and  constant  friendship.  As  to  the  intrinsic 
merits  of  the  work,  you,  who  have  not  been  without  experience 
in  this  vein  yourself,  (can  I  forget  "  Schlafen  sie  wohl  Z '")  may 
be  expected  to  be  a  lenient  judge. 

"  Hear  then,  attentive  to  my  lay, 
For  thou  hast  sung  1" 

Should  there  be  any  grave  personages  ready  to  draw  down  their 
ominous  eyebrows,  as  if  the  author  were  forsaking  Mount  Zion 
for  Mount  Carmel,  or  worse  yet,  for  Mount  Helicon,  let  them  be 
informed,  that  the  "Elijah"  owed  its  origin  to  the  seclusion  of 
a  sick-room ;  where,  debarred  for  a  season  from  active  profes- 
sional labor,  the  pen  helped  to  beguile  the  tedium  of  a  pro- 
tracted confinement.  It  was  under  such  circumstances,  and 
propped  up  in  bed  by  a  mechanical  contrivance,  that  the  greater 
part  of  the  poem  was  written. 

As  to  the  other  pieces  in  the  volume,  it  will  suffice  to  say  of 
many  of  them,  that  this  is  not  their  first  appearance  in  print. 
The  favor  with  which  they  have  been  received,  and  the  fact  of 
their  having  been  copied   into  various   periodicals,  encourage 


4  I>  B  DIC  A  T  I  O  >  . 

the  hope  that  it  will  not  be  deemed  presumptuous  if  the  waifs 
should  now  be  collected  together  under  one  cover. 

Meantime,  let  me  call  to  your  recollection,  my  friend,  a  sen- 
tence in  one  of  Cowper's  letters  to  Lady  Hesketh,  which,  I  hope, 
you  will  enjoy  as  much  as  I  do.  "I  might,"  says  he,  "have 
preached  more  sermons  than  ever  Tillotson  did,  and  better,  and 
the  world  would  have  been  still  fast  asleep ;  but  a  volume  of 
verse  is  a  fiddle  that  puts  the  universe  in  motion."  There  is  one 
small  condition  which  Cowper  omitted  to  mention,  but  which  is 
quite  indispensable  to  success  ;  that  is,  provided  you  can  get  the 
universe,  or  even  a  respectable  fraction  of  it,  to  listen  to  the 

music ! 

The  Author. 


82  West  Eleventh  street,  New  York,  £ 
Sept  Vlth,  1860.  ) 


CONTENTS. 


Dedication,  ......        3 

Elijah:  a  Sacred  Drama,  ....  7 

The  Argument,              .  .             .             .  .8 

The  Persons,           .  .             .             .             .  10 

Notes  to  Elijah,             .  .             .             .  .71 

Jasoda,  or  the  Suttee,  ....  103 

Notes  to  Jasoda,            .  .             .             .  .113 

MISCELLANEOUS  POEMS. 

The  Triumph  of  Dayid,     .  .  .  .  .119 

The  Triumph  of  Music,  .  .  .  .  123 

The  Evening  of  Life,        .  .  .  .  .127 

Too  Late,  .  .  .  .  .  .128 

The  Apostle  Paul  at  Malta,       .  .  .  .130 

I'll  Thinh  of  Thee,     .....  132 

Submission,  ......     134 

A  Trilogy,  on  the  Nativity,  the  Crucifixion,  and  the 
Resurrection  : 
A  Christmas  Ballad,      .  .  .  .  .136 

A  Threnody  on  the  Crucifixion,  .  .  138 

Epinicion  ;  or,  Triumphal  Hymn  on  the  Resurrection,      143 


6  (    O  NTENTS. 

PAGE 

Dies  Irjs,     .......     148 

To  the  Deity,  .....  153 

Hope,  .......     154 

Genius,  ......  155 

Who  Shall  be  Crowned  ?  .  .  .     156 

The  Cotter's  Saturday  Night,  .  .  .  157 

Eventide,     .  .  .  .  .  .  .158 

The  Old  Man,  .....  164 

An  Epistle  to  a  Young  Lady,     .  .  .  .166 

Prairie  Song,    ......  168 

Let  the  Ocean  Heave  to  the  Tempest's  Wing,  .     1*70 

Contentment,     ......  172 

The  Missionary  Hymn,      .....     173 

Compensations,  .  .  .  .  .  175 

The  Olive  and  the  Pine,  .  .  .     178 

The  Page  of  Life,       .  .  .  .  .  180 

The  Resolve,  .....     181 

The  Ideal  in  Art,       .  .  .  .  .182 


ELIJAH; 

A       SACRED        DRAMA 


THE  ARGUMENT. 

Zephon,  one  of  the  Sons  of  the  Prophets,  to  whom  the  caves 
of  Mount  Carmel  afforded  a  refuge  from  the  persecutions  of 
Queen  Jezebel,  is  joined  upon  the  top  of  the  mountain  by  Oba- 
diah,  King  Ahab's  pious  steward,  or  more  properly,  major-domo, 
who  narrates  to  him  Elijah's  challenge  to  the  priests  of  Baal  to 
meet  him  upon  that  spot  for  a  solemn  trial  or  ordeal  by  fire. 

The  procession  enters.  Chorus  of  Virgins  of  the  Sun.  The 
heralds  announce  the  object  of  the  convocation.  While  the 
altar  is  being  constructed  and  other  preparations  made,  the  king 
proposes  an  argument  between  Elijah  the  prophet,  and  Amaziah, 
the  priest  of  Baal,  to  which  the  latter  reluctantly  submits.  Am- 
aziah descants  on  the  antiquity  of  the  worship  of  the  Sun,  and 
its  time-honored  traditions.  Elijah  goes  back  to  the  birth  of 
time  and  the  creation  of  the  sun  by  Jehovah.  He  alludes  to  its 
obeying  the  command  of  Joshua.  He  answers  objections  from 
the  destruction  of  the  Canaanitish  nations.  Hiel  the  Bethelite, 
an  infidel,  explains  the  myth  of  Adonis  by  the  sun's  return  from 
winter  to  spring.  Queen  Jezebel  interposes,  extolling  Sidon  and 
other  heathen  capitals,  for  their  improvement  in  taste,  the  arts, 
commerce,  architecture,  and  the  products  of  the  loom,  contrast- 
ed with  the  rudeness  of  the  Hebrews.  Elijah  shows  the  supe- 
rior value  of  truth  and  virtue.  Maachah,  the  king's  mother,  up- 
braids the  prophet  with  his  severity.  Ithobal,  priest  of  the 
grove,  the  queen's  chaplain,  advises  him  to  leave  the  vicinity  of 


T  II  E      A  R  G  U  M  E  N  X  .  9 

the  court,  and  repair  to  the  more  congenial  atmosphere  of  Ju- 
dah.  The  prophet  protests  his  willingness  to  endure  martyrdom 
for  his  religion.     The  king  abruptly  closes  the  debate. 

Chorus  of  priests  of  the  Sun.  In  proportion  as  the  day  wears 
away  without  any  answer  by  fire,  their  behavior  grows  frantic. 
Elijah  taunts  them  with  bitter  irony.  They  become  incensed, 
aad  Amaziah  charges  his  presence  as  the  obstacle  to  their  suc- 
cess. He  insists  that  the  offended  deity  can  be  propitiated  only 
by  a  human  sacrifice,  and  demands  the  surrender  of  Elijah  for 
the  purpose.  A  great  tumult  ensues.  Ahab  protects  him,  and 
orders  that  the  prophet  offer  sacrifice  in  his  turn. 

Elijah  builds  an  altar,  and  drenches  it  with  water.  He  prays. 
Fire  descends  from  heaven,  and  consumes  the  sacrifice.  The 
people,  affected  by  the  miracle,  applaud,  and  vow  their  homage 
to  Jehovah.  Elijah  orders  the  slaying  of  the  priests  of  Baal  at 
the  river  Kishon. 

The  poem  concludes  with  a  grand  chorus  of  the  sons  of  the 
prophets. 


THE    PERSONS. 

Elijah  the  Tishbite,  the  Hebrew  prophet 

Zephon,  one  of  the  sons  of  the  prophets. 

Obadiah,  King  Ahab's  steward,  or  governor  of  his  house. 

Ahab,  king  of  Israel. 

Hiel,  the  Bethelite. 

Amaziah,  priest  of  Baal  or  the  Sun. 

Ithobal,  priest  of  the  Grove. 

Melzar,  chief  astrologer. 

Zabdiel,  a  Hebrew. 

Hezron,  a  Hebrew. 

Marshal  and  assistants. 

Jezebel,  queen  of  Israel. 

Ma ac hah,  mother  of  Ahab. 

Chorus  of  priests  of  Baal  or  the  Sun. 
Chorus  of  Virgins  of  the  Sun. 
Cho&08  of  the  Sons  of  the  Prophets. 
Hebrews,  Pidonians,  &c 

The  Scene  is  the  summit  of  Mount  Carmel,  looking  to  the  sea.    The 
Time,  from  morning  till  evening. 


ELIJAH 


Zephon,  alone. 


Softly  the  sunrise  stealeth  o'er  the  sea, 
The  many-twinkling,  many-sounding  sea. 
Its  earliest  kiss  the  snows  of  Hermon  caught, 
Suffused  with  virgin  blushes ;  down  it  leaped 
From  peak  to  sparkling  peak,  with  frolic  haste, 
O'er  gloomy  gorges  and  o'er  rough  ravines, 
O'er  dewy  tamarisk  slopes  and  broomy  vales, 
O'er  pastoral  plains,  and  dream-embosomed  lakes, 
Flooding  with  equal  glory  town  and  tower. 
The  shadow  of  the  headland,  that  had  stretched 
Its  giant  bulk  athwart  the  ample  bay, 
Shrinks  back  affrighted  to  the  mountain's  foot ; 
While  o'er  his  level  floor  glad  Ocean  lays 
A  regal  pathway,  paved  with  flakes  of  gold. 
Swift  to  the  west  the  laughing  Splendor  flies, 
To  pash  out  the  weak  moon  and  pallid  stars, 
And  strip  the  purple  from  discrowned  Night. 
So  spreads  a  smile  from  Childhood's  happy  lips, 


]2  1;  L  UAH. 

Beams  in  the  eye,  and  dimples  in  the  cheek, 
Till  every  feature  shows  the  genial  joy. 

No  cloud  doth  fleck  the  sky,  nor  ruffling  breeze 
Winhoweth  wantonly  the  delicate  spray. 
The  lazy  shallops  in  the  roadstead  doze, 
With  blistered  decks,  and  canvas  idly  furled. 
The  white-laced  surf  runs  creaming  up  the  beach, 
Toying  around  the  fisher's  naked  feet. 
The  solid  sea,  smooth  to  th'  horizon's  rim, 
Seems  a  broad  shield  of  gray  and  burnished  steel, 
Whereon  Day's  champion,  rioting  in  strength, 
His  crest  new-trimmed,  ablaze  with  horned  light, 
Incessant  flings  a  sheaf  of  golden  darts, 
Shivered  as  soon,  and  in  a  glittering  shower 
Resilient,  as  of  topaz  freshly  broke. 

Thou  changeful,  changeless  Sea  !  all  placid  now, 
As  Infancy  lulled  by  its  cradle-hymn  ; 
But  late  we  saw  thy  swirling  billows  huge, 
Lush-green  and  foam-capt,  madly  chase  along, 
And  bold  the  swimmer  that  would  tempt  thy  spleen. 
So  sleeps  the  tiger,  with  retracted  claw. 
And  sleek  and  shining  skin.     A  breath  provokes, 
Capricious  termagant  !  thy  meekness  feigned. 
Thou  battiest  with  the  tempest  at  its  top. 
And  hurl'st  defiance  to  the  thunder-cloud. 
Down  goes  the  bark  that  trusted  to  thy  smile, 
With  all  on  board,  strewing  the  ocean-floor 


ELIJAH.  13 

With  ingots,  jewels,  silks  of  gorgeous  Ind, 
And  costlier  treasures  earth  were  poor  to  buy. 
Thou  roll'st  remorseless,  heedless  of  the  hopes 
Thy  frenzy  wrecked.     Perfidious,  beauteous  Sea  ! 
We  dote  like  lovers  on  thy  fickle  face, 
Morn,  noon,  and  fresh'ning  eve,  intent  to  spy, 
Bufchief  at  glint  of  day,  or  rising  moon, 
New  phases  and  aspects  of  loveliness. 

The  dreamy  moan  of  thy  perpetual  surge, 
Mysterious,  plaintive,  soul-subduing,  low, 
Intoning  ever  in  the  ear  of  Time, 
Nature's  entrancing  chorus  sweetly  swells. 
The  Universal  Hymn  ascends  ;  none  mute  ; 
Birds  their  shrill  treble  pipe  ;  the  insect  hum 
Floats  jocund  on  the  liquid  air  ;  winds  blow 
Their  trumpet-blast,  or  sweep  the  forest-harp  ; 
Flowers  swing  their  censers,  steaming  with  perfume ; 
The  affluent  accords  still  keeping  time 
Unto  thy  tidal  pulses  evermore  ; 
The  bending  skies  drink  in  the  solemn  joy. 
Thee,  God  !  the  sea,  Thee,  earth  and  heaven  praise. 

Obadiah  enters. 

Obadiah. 
Pardon  my  step  abrupt,  intruding  thus 
Upon  thy  early  orisons  :  I  come 
Charged  with  grave  tidings  for  the  prophet's  ear. 


14  ELIJAH. 

Zepiion. 
Welcome,  thou  faithful  servant  of  the  Lord, 
Unspotted  'midst  the  vain,  luxurious  court, 
My  benefactor  and  protector  thou  ! 
Never  forgotten  is  the  dreadful  day 
When  the  queen's  minions,  all  athirst  for  blood, 
Against  the  prophets  of  the  Lord  went  forth 
To  torture  and  to  slay  ;  thy  generous  care 
At  hazard  of  thine  own  the  life  preserved 
Of  full  fourscore,  concealed  and  fed  within 
The  dusky  covert  of  old  Carmel's  caves. 
May  lie,  who  over  sacrifice  prefers 
Sweet  mercy,  and  provided  in  the  law 
For  the  birds'  fledglings,  well  reward  thy  love ! 
But  what  contrives  our  subtle  enemy, 
Like  the  autumnal  star,  baleful  as  fair  ? 

Obadiaii. 
I  will  narrate  in  order,  from  the  first. 
As  late  I  sought,  amid  the  general  drought, 
Some  tender  meadow  for  the  royal  steeds, 
Sudden  the  holy  prophet,  stern  as  wont, 
In  camlet  coarse  with  leathern  girdle  bound, 
Coming  I  know  not  whence,  before  me  stood. 
Awful  he  spake,  the  while,  fear-paralyzed, 
I  sank  upon  my  face  :      "  Go,  tell  thy  lord, 
Elijah  waits  him  here  !  "     "  Alas  !  "  I  cried, 
"  What  is  my  fault,  that  thou  shouldst  work  me  harm  ? 


ELIJAH.  15 

Of  every  land  the  king  exacteth  oaths 

They  hold  thee  not,  so  covets  he  thy  head. 

Now  thou  art  here,  but  soon  a  power  unseen 

Shall  whirl  thee  hence,  and  when  the  king  shall  come, 

Nor  find  thee,  me  deceiver  will  he  brand, 

And  in  the  transports  of  his  rage,  will  slay. 

Harm  not,  my  lord  Elijah  !  one  from  youth 

God-fearing,  to  thy  people  ever  kind." 

"  Distrust  me  not,"  he  said,  "  thou  art  secure ; 

Go  tell  the  king,  Elijah  waits  him  here." 

I  sped  my  message.     Straightway  rode  the  king, 

And  found  the  prophet  in  the  selfsame  spot. 

"  Troubler  of  Israel !  "  he  sharply  spoke, 

"  What  wouldst  thou  %  "     "  Not  to  me  belongs," 

Eeplied  the  man  of  God,  "  that  keen  reproach ; 

5Tis  thou  and  thine  should  wear  it,  having  left 

Jehovah's  altar  for  a  foreign  god. 

Hear  now  my  challenge.     Bring  to  CarmeFs  top, 

Before  assembled  Israel,  Baal's  priests, 

And  likewise  all  the  prophets  of  the  grove, 

By  hundreds  reckoned.     There  our  several  faiths 

Put  thou  to  trial,  and  be  that  avowed 

The  faith  of  Israel,  which  shall  stand  the  test. 

"Who  answereth  by  fire,  let  him  be  God." 

"  I  marvel  at  thy  boldness,"  said  the  king, 

"  Thou  for  an  outlaw  askest  much,  and  great 

The  condescension  that  consents  to  this. 

Be  it  as  thou  hast  said  ;  but,  mark  me  well, 


1G  ELIJAH. 

Failure  doth  put  in  jeopardy  thy  head." 
"  So  be  it,"  said  the  seer,  "  equal  the  terms 
To  both.     Safe-conduct  next  I  ask." 
"  For  this  occasion  sole/'  replied  the  king. 
They  parted,  and  the  royal  mandate  sped. 

The  vast  procession  hither  tends,  and  soon 
Their  barbarous  music  will  fatigue  thine  ear. 
With  friendly  haste  I  come  my  lord  to  warn 
Of  subtle  secret  plots  against  his  life. 
Not  unobservant  have  I  watched  the  arts 
Of  the  queen's  sleek  and  crafty  chappellain, 
Her  favorite,  the  Sidonian  Ithobal. 

Zephon. 

Already  see  along  the  mountain  side 

The  long  procession  upward  winds  its  way. 

First  walk  the  oxen,  marked  for  sacrifice, 

With  gilded  horns,  and  streaming  fdlets  decked ; 

The  sacred  car,  of  ivory  and  gold,1 

With  purple  canopy,  on  pillars  borne 

Of  silver,  see  !  by  snow-white  horses  drawn, 

Whose  seat  no  mortal  weight  presumes  to  press. 

But  tell  me,  for  the  court  thou  knowest  well, 

Who  are  those  women,  beautiful  but  bold, 

With  open  vestures  given  to  the  wind  ? 

Obadiaii. 
The  Virgins  of  the  Sun  thou  dost  perceive,3 
Trained  to  the  wanton  dance  and  thrilling  son^. 


ELIJAH.  17 

111  cloisters  they  the  sacred  wardrobe  tend, 
The  richly  broidered  veils  and  priestly  robes, 
And,  if  belied  not,  skilled  in  softer  arts. 
Behind  them  throng  the  round  and  well-fed  priests, 
With  thurible  and   sistrum. 

Zephox. 

Who  their  chief? 

Obadiah. 
'Tis  Amaziah,  from  the  lowest  dregs 
Upraised,  like  Jeroboam's  vulgar  priests  ; 
Of  shallow  learning,  but  with  brow  of  brass. 

Zephox. 
What  company  is  that,  with  sooty  robes 
And  muffled  heads,  who  seem  to  march  apart  ? 

Obadiah. 
They  the  Chemarim  are,  and  theirs  the  rites3 
Due  to  th'  Infernal  Powers,  whose  baneful  sway 
They  humbly  deprecate  with  whine  and  howl. 

Zephox. 
And  who  are  those  with  high  and  peaked  caps, 
And  wanpls  all  rough  with  quaint  mysterious  signs  ? 

Obadiah. 
The  Casdim  they,  from  far  Euphrates'  shore. 
'Tis  said  they  read  the  heavens  as  a  scroll ; 


8  ELIJAH. 

They  know  the  planets  five,  and  ,the  thrice  ten 
Celestial  watchers,  and  the  figured  belt 
Whose  influences  mark  the  natal  hour. 

Zepiion. 
Profane  and  blasphemous  their  occult  trade  ! 
The  meek-eyed  stars  stoop  not  to  watch  our  dust. 

Obadiah. 
I  marvel  much  why  from  the  solemn  pomp 
The  prophets  of  the  grove,  full  twenty  score,4 
Are  absent.     Can  it  be,  the  wily  queen 
Distrusts  the  issue  of  this  challenge  strange, 
And  means  to  screen  her  favorites  from  harm  ? 
Or  have  they  stood  upon  some  jealous  point 
Of  ceremonious  precedency  ? 

Zepiion. 
Explain  why  they  her  special  favorites  are. 

Obadiah. 
Error  is  various  ;  Truth  is  ever  one  ; 
So  many  sects,  so  many  jealousies. 
To  Ashtaroth  devoted  is  her  zeal, 
The  Syrian  goddess  ;  in  whose  shaded  groves6 
What  rites  are  held,  beseems  me  not  to  say. 
Samaria's  temple-palace  doth  inclose0 
A  stately  fane,  where  worshipped  is  the  sun, 
Adonis,  Baal,  Lord  of  light  and  heaven, 


ELIJAH.  19 

(Baal-zebub,  the  Fly-god,  better  named,) 

Its  cornices,  its  statues,  censers,  wrought 

Of  flaming  gold.     In  smaller  chapels  stand 

The  symbols  of  the  Starry  Host ;  and  one, 

To  Heaven's  queen  sole  dedicated,  bears 

No  ornaments  but  silver.     Jezebel, 

After  Sidonian  custom  there  resorts. 

Black  was  the  day  that  brought  her  to  our  shores, 

With  her  outlandish  and  seductive  ways  ! 

Zephox. 
Report  doth  give  her  charms  beyond  her  sex. 

Obadiah. 

Lithe  as  the  willow,  graceful  as  the  palm 
That  waves  by  Elim's  wells  its  plumy  crown. 
Nor  is  she  shamed  to  snatch  a  grace  from  art, 
With  cunning  pigments  heightening  her  charms, 
As  roses  swimming  in  a  vase  of  milk. 
Most  gorgeous  her  attire,  of  Siclon's  looms 
The  daintiest  fabrics.     Foreign  workmanship 
Alone  can  answer  her  fastidious  taste. 
Not  hers  the  modest  and  retiring  grace 
Which  in  the  violet  finds  its  lovely  type, 
Pure  as  the  dew  that  fills  its  blushing  cup, 
Sweet  as  the  scent  exhaling  back  to  heaven  • 
Chief  ornament  of  woman,  for  whose  loss, 
Nor  beauty  makes  amends,  nor  brilliant  wit. 


20  ELIJAH. 

Zepiiox. 
And  what  her  disposition  and  her  mind  ? 

Obadiaii. 
Beyond  conception  subtle  and  astute. 
Such  skill  she  hath  in  tongues,  ambassadors, 
Astonished,  with  interpreters  dispense. 
Her  eye,  its  own  expression  taught  to  veil, 
Looks  down  into  the  depths  of  other  minds, 
And  reads  their  secret  thoughts,  its  own  unread. 
She  hath  withal  a  soft  persuasive  voice, 
That  melts  into  the  ear,  and  wins  assent, 
Without  or  proof  or  argument,  to  what  she  wills. 
Fond  of  dissembling  and  intrigue,  she  bends 
All  things  to  her  unscrupulous  love  of  rule. 
Winning  her  blandishments,  but,  when  provoked, 
No  netted  tigress  more  infuriate. 
Secure  she  manages  the  easy  king ; 
Give  him  his  horses,  and  his  Helbon  wines, 
And  his  Samarian  harem,  whoso  will 
May  take  the  irksome  toil  of  government. 
In  state  she  comes,  surrounded  by  her  guards, 
As  fits  a  queen. 

Zepiiox. 
And  hath  she  tricked  our  troops 
In  foreign  armor,  not  the  manly  steel 
Wherewith  our  valiant  fathers  glory  gained  ? 


ELIJAH.  21 

Rounded  their  beards  and  hair,  the  which  our  law 
Forbids.     Upon  their  stalwart  breasts  plate-mail 
Of  burnished  silver  flashes  in  the  sun, 
Their  silver  helms  with  disc  and  crescent  topped.7 
One  hand  supports  a  lance,  the  other  wields 
A  circular  targe  of  steel  with  gold  inlaid. 

Obadiaii. 
Of  foreign  lineage  are  they  ;  none  but  such 
The  queen  about  her  person  tolerates. 
Our  Hebrews  make  not  supple  courtiers ;  stiff 
Their  necks  and  knees  to  ply  the  fawning  trade. 
But  we  must  here  arrest  discourse,  for  see  ! 
Th'  impatient  crowd  arc  clambering  up  the  steep, 
Clinging  to  bush  and  crag,  the  shortest  paths. 
Soon  will  they  stand  upon  the  mountain's  top. 
Oh,  vast  assemblage  !  oh,  momentous  day  ! 
God  of  our  fathers  !  bare  thy  mighty  arm. 
The  idol  gods  confound,  and  vindicate 
Before  the  world  thy  worship  and  thy  name  ! 
Hence  !  to  the  hoary  prophet  let  us  haste.    [Exeunt. 

{Enter  Marshal  and  Assistants,  and  People}} 

Marshal. 
Quick,  marshals  !  to  your  posts.    The  Circle  trace, 
Time-honored  symbol  of  the  Lord  of  Day. 
The  area  clear.     Assign  to  each  his  room, 
And  keep  the  rabble  close  without  the  lines. 


22  E  L  I  J  A  II. 

Set  up  the  chair  of  state  and  canopy 
On  yonder  knoll.     This  mountain-height  the  air 
Somewhat  attempers.     On  the  sweltering  plain 
The  heat  and  dust  endurance  do  defy. 

0  for  a  shower,  a  cool,  refreshing  shower  ! 

First  Assistant. 
Stand  hack  !  stand  back  !  what,  have  ye  no  respect  1 
Room  for  the  king,  I  say  ! 

Second  Assistant. 

By  all  the  gods, 
One  might  as  well  beat  back  the  tide  at  flood. 

Marshal. 

1  lark  to  the  trumpets  !     Each  one  to  his  place  ! 

[The  Procession  enters;  king  Aiiab,  the  queen, 
their  attendant  trains,  and  a  multitude  of 
people  ;  afterward  Obadiah  and  Zepiion. 

All. 
Long  live  the  king  ! 

Sidonians. 

And  live  queen  Isabel ! 8 

Air.vn. 
At  length  the  level  summit  we  have  gained 
OfCarmePs  well-poised  mount,  garden  of  God,* 


ELIJAH.  23 

And  worthy  of  the  name.     Its  stony  ribs 

Health-breathing  pines  and  lordly  oaks  adorn ; 

The  hazy  olives  turn  their  linings  up 

Like  silver  lamps  amid  a  night  of  green ; 

While  copses  of  luxuriant  laurel  fringe 

The  rocky  dells  and  sinuous  ravines, 

Like  a  bride's  tresses.     In  profusion  wild, 

Anemone,  that  reddens  in  its  cup, 

In  a  fine  tremble  from  the  zephyr's  kiss, 

Crisp  hyacinth,  and  modest  asphodel, 

Lend  rarest  fragrance  to  the  loitering  breeze. 

And  what  a  charming  prospect  courts  the  eye, 

Of  woods,  and  plains,  and  distant  mountain-tops ! 

Lord-steward  !  as  familiar  with  these  scenes, 

Describe  the  goodly  landscape,  point  by  point. 

Obadiah. 
Truly  familiar  to  me  are  these  haunts ; 
For  here  in  boyhood  with  my  bow  I  roamed 
To  hunt  the  whirring  partridge,  or  to  trap 
The  stealthy  fox  that  spoiled  the  early  vines ; 
And  from  the  crystal  brooks  oft  slaked  my  thirst — 
Yon  crystal  brooks  that  never  cease  their  flow. 
See  distant  Tabor  looming  up  on  high 
A  verdurous  islet  in  the  sere  champaign. 
There  Sirion's  range  defines  our  northern  bound, 
Amana's  peak,  and  Shenir  wreathed  in  mist, 
Where  lions  prowl,  and  leopards  have  their  lair. 


24  B  L  I  J  A  H. 

Outlined  distinct  against  the  glowing  sky, 
Lo  !  Nature's  priest,  majestic  Lebanon,10 
In  cope  and  mitre  of  unblemished  snow, 
Doth  scatter  dewy  benedictions  round. 
His  ancient  cedars  stand  in  rev'rent  row, 
The  Levites  of  the  sylvan  sanctuary, 
Their  solemn  psalm  uplifting  full  and  clear 
To  the  responsive  trumpets  of  the  storm. 
Southeastward  see  the  long  pale  line  that  marks 
The  lordly  pile  near  Jezreel  newly  built, 
In  wealth  of  myrtles,  and  of  vines  embowered, 
With  scarlet  glories  of  pomegranates  graced. 
Commanding  site,  for  princes  fit  retreat ! 

Aiiab. 
To  round  my  park,  an  angle  I  require 
Of  the  adjacent  vineyard,  but  the  churl 
Denies  the  sale.     Whom  all  the  gods  confound ! 

Jezebel. 
Thou  shalt,  my  lord,  possess  it ;  rest  at  ease. 
A  king  should  find  his  lightest  wishes  law, 
Else  were  the  golden  round  a  barren  toy. 

Obadiaii. 
Beneath  us  undulates  the  battle-plain 

Of  Esdraelon  ;  as  our  fathers  tell, 

There  Barak,  like  a  torrent,  from  the  height 

Of  Tabor,  rushed  impetuous.     Not  the  strength 


ELIJAH.  25 

Of  iron  chariots  could  resist  the  stroke. 

The  sword  devoured  its  thousands,  drunk  with  blood, 

And  ancient  Kishon  swept  them  to  the  sea, 

Yon  westering  sea,  where  Carmel  dips  his  foot. 

The  blue  expanse  melts  in  the  bluer  sky 

Flecked  with  the  fleets  of  Tarshish  and  of  Tyre, 

The  land  of  Caphtor,  and  far  Chittim's  isles. 

Jezebel. 

Oh,  blessed,  blessed  sea  !  that  laves  the  shores 
Of  my  beloved  Sidon.     When  shall  I, 
My  country  !  see  thy  tide- kissed  walls  again, 
Thy  piers,  thy  palaces,  thy  princely  pomp  ? 

Ithobal. 

Madam,  restrain  thy  tears,  I  do  implore  : 
The  nobles  see  this  passionate  burst  ill-pleased. 

Jezebel. 

Excuse,  my  lords,  my  feelings'  ardent  gush ! 
The  tears  would  flow  at  sight  of  the  blue  waves 
That  wash  my  old,  beloved,  ancestral  halls. 
The  shell  will  murmur  of  its  ocean-home ; 
The  prisoned  dove  its  native  wood-notes  trill  -? 
The  smitten  flint  its  heart  of  fire  betray. 
Nature  hath  had  her  due,  and  I  am  calm, 
2 


26  ELIJAH. 

Ahab. 
Heralds  !  make  proclamation  of  the  cause 
That  here  convenes  us. 

Herald. 

Be  it  known  to  all, 
Our  sovereign  lord  the  king,  of  his  good  pleasure, 
Doth  convocate  the  tribes  upon  these  heights, 
That  solemn  ordeal  may  be  made  betwixt 
The  two  religions,  Baal's  and  Jehovah's. 
Three  years  of  drought  have  turned  the  earth  to  iron, 
The  heavens  to  brass.     The  herbage  is  burnt  up. 
The  husbandman  distraught,  doth  thrust  his  knife 
Into  the  veins  of  his  last  ox,  to  quench  his  thirst. 
That  altar,  whereupon  the  fire  from  heaven 
Shall  swift  descend,  and  burn  the  sacrifice, 
To  be  succeeded  by  refreshing  showers 
Of  copious  rain,  shall  instant  be  confessed 
The  altar  of  the  True  and  Only  God.     There  bow 
The  grateful  nation,  and  no  other  own  ! 
AVith  this  condition  ;  whichsoever  party 
Shall  fail,  do  put  in  jeopardy  their  lives 
A  forfeit  and  atonement  to  the  God. 

Ahab. 

Call  the  Chartummim  and  Astrologers. 
Melzar,  are  all  the  auguries  auspicious  ? 


ELIJAH.  21 

Melzar. 

May  the  king  live  forever !  by  the  rules 
Of  divination,  freely  pecking  birds, 
The  bright  sons  of  the  quiver  duly  drawn, 
Chaldean  numbers  big  with  coming  fate,11 
The  aspects  and  conjunctions  of  the  stars, 
There  never  shone  a  more  auspicious  hour. 
Fearless  proceed   the  issue  must  be  happy. 

Maachah. 
But  where's  the  vaunting  prophet,  at  whose  call 
Kings,   priests,    and   commons    crowd    these   flinty 

heights  1 
Or  does  he  mock  us  ?  for,  in  sooth,  no  law 
His  savage  nature  owns  but  his  caprice. 

HlEL. 

Mayhap  the  holy  man  hath  of  his  fears 
Taken  wise  counsel,  dreading  a  defeat ; 
For  blusterers,  when  subjected  to  the  test, 
Oft,  like  a  treacherous  bow,  do  swerve  aside. 
Trust  me,  my  lord,  he'll  hardly  show  his  face, 
Or  here  obtrude  his  sanctimonious  cant. 

Ahab 
What  saith  my  steward  ?  for  thou  first  didst  bear 
His  message.     Wilt  thou  now  the  surety  be 
For  his  appearance  ? 


28  ELIJAH. 

Obadiah. 

My  most  gracious  lord, 
Misdoubt  him  not;  within  that  rind  austere 
Lie  rugged  honesty  and  downright  truth. 
Averse  to  rites  of  worship  he  loves  not, 
He  but  delays  till  they  have  been  performed. 
I'll  answer  for  his  presence  with  my  life. 

Jezebel. 
I  would  your  Grace  would  put  him  under  ban, 
And  set  a  price  upon  his  stubborn  head. 

Ahab. 
My  queen,  what  have  we  now  to  apprehend 
From  a  defenceless  and  unarmed  wretch, 
Whose  followers  have  melted  all  away 
Like  snow  in  Salmon  ?     Not  a  tongue  is  found 
To  lisp  against  our  fair  establishment. 
The  fang's  extracted. 

Jezebel. 

But  the  venom's  left. 

Ahab. 

Whence  is  thine  unrelenting  enmity? 

Jezebel. 
The  presence  of  reprovers  is  unwelcome, 
Though  from  their  lips  no  syllable  escape. 


ELIJAH.  29 

Rude  as  his  shaggy  garb  his  manners  are, 
As  blunt  to  queens  as  to  their  tiring-maids. 

Ahab. 
I  too  dislike  him,  yet  I  feel  there's  good 
'Neath  that  rough  outside.   Would  he  were  my  friend  ! 
Marshal !  the  ceremonies  may  proceed. 

[An  altar  is  erected.  The  Virgins  of  the  Sun 
chant  the  Hymn  of  Inauguration.  At  the 
close  of  every  strophe,  they  dance  round  the 
altar  in  a  circle. 

(Ejforttf  nl  %  $irgiits  oi  ijre  Stow. 

i. 

Beat  the  ground  with  briskest  measure, 

Bound  each  pulse  with  liveliest  pleasure  ! 

Merrily  the  sistrums  tinkle, 

Rapidly  the  white  feet  twinkle ; 

Round  and  round  in  mystic  ring, 

Choir  of  planets  symbolling  ! 12 

Joy  and  rapture  rush  along 

On  the  swelling  tide  of  song  ; 
And  with  warm  exultant  strain, 
Greet  the  Day-god's  welcome  reign ! 

ii. 


Hail  th'  auspicious  moment,  hail ' 
Over  hill  and  over  dale, 


30  E  L  I  J  A  H. 

O'er  the  rivers,  o'er  the  sea, 
Streams  the  dazzling  majesty. 

First  the  courier  of  the  dawn  13 
Wakes  the  lark  upon  the  lawn, 
Till  from  every  feathered  throat 
Richest  symphonies  upfloat ; 
And  with  warm  exultant  strain, 
Greet  the  Day- god's  welcome  reign  ! 

in. 

Nor  alone  the  birds  and  flowers 
Gratulate  the  rosy  hours  ; 
Busy  hands  and  earnest  hearts 
Rouse  to  act  their  wonted  parts ; 
Toils  of  peasants,  cares  of  kings, 
Traffic  with  its  woven  wings  ; 
All  the  joyous  world's  astir, 
Leaping  from  night's  sepulchre ; 
And  with  warm  exultant  strain. 
Greet  the  Day-god's  welcome  reign. 

IV. 

Weary  lid  and  fevered  head, 
Tossing  on  a  sleepless  bed ; 
Mothers,  half  witli  terror  wild, 
Bending  o'er  a  moaning  child  ; 
Sentries  pacing  at  their  post ; 
Sailors  off  a  dangerous  coast ; 


ELIJAH.  31 


Frequent  turn  a  longing  eye 
To  the  flushing  eastern  sky  ; 
And  with  warm  exultant  strain, 
Greet  the  Day -god's  welcome  reign. 


By  the  laughing  Hours  attended, 

Onward  moves  the  pageant  splendid  ; 

Dappled  Dawn  with  diamond  dew, 

Sunset  pomp  of  Tyrian  hue  ; 

Spring,  with  green  and  tender  shoots, 

Autumn,  with  its  luscious  fruits ; 

Men,  who  thrive  these  gifts  upon, 

Pour  their  grateful  benison ; 
And  with  warm,  exultant  strain, 
Greet  the  Day-god's  welcome  reign. 

Elijah  enters,  with  the  Sons  of  the  Prophets. 

Ahab. 

In  a  good  hour  thou  comest,  hoary  seer  ! 

To  save  thy  name  from  damage,  and  thy  truth ; 

Already  had  the  whisper  gone  abroad, 

That  thou  thy  cause  had  yielded  by  default. 

Elijah. 

My  liege  !  I  come  to  pay  the  homage  due 
The  ruler  of  my  country,  faithless  else 


32  ELIJAH. 

To  my  religion  and  the  holy  Law, 

Which  curse  disloyalty.     Not  mine  the  tongue 

To  sow  sedition,  or  disturb  the  realm. 

The  sword  and  sceptre  are  from  God ;  by  him 

Kings  reign,  and  princes  judge  with  equity, 

And  likest  him  they  show,  when  found  most  just. 

For  magistracy  is  of  God  ordained 

A  social  blessing,  anarchy  and  crime 

To  banish,  and  the  feeble  to  defend. 

Raised  to  the  topmost  round  of  power,  for  this 

They  to  the  King  of  kings  shall  give  account. 

No  traitor  I,  no  dark  conspirator. 

Were  I  admitted  to  thy  counsels,  prince  ! 

Thy  throne  should  stand  upon  a  firmer  base, 

And  thou  should st  be  a  king  indeed,  uncurbed 

By  priestly  malisons  and  auguries, 

That  hidden  power,  o'ershadowing  the  throne. 

Ahab. 

By  Tarnmuz'  wounds,  I  like  thy  frankness  much  ; 
Such  speech  hath  long  been  strange  unto  mine  ear. 
Thou  shalt  my  prophet  be,  my  chapellain, 
Director  of  the  royal  conscience,  not 
An  idle  sinecure.     But  to  the  point : 
The  tribes  are  met,  the  solemn  ordeal  waits; 
Dost  thou  not  shrink,  thy  single  self  opposed 
To  overawing  numbers  ? 


ELIJAH.  33 

Elijah. 

Not  alone 
Stands  the  brave  champion  of  a  holy  cause ; 
Greater  and  more  his  friends  are  than  his  foes 
Fire-chariots  of  the  sky  encompass  him  ; 
The  angels  count  his  every  step  ;  the  just 
And  good  bend  from  their  heavenly  thrones  to  give 
Their  approbation  and  their  sympathy. 
And  should  he  fall,  his  infinite  reward 
Dies  not.     The  listening  ages  catch  his  name, 
And  send  it  onward.     Like  a  trumpet's  blast, 
Men's  hearts  do  leap  within  them  at  the  sound ; 
Heroic  virtue  gains  new  suffrages, 
And  from  the  martyr's  ashes  spring  fresh  fires. 
Why  should  I  quail  1     To  God  I  trust  my  cause ; 
Who  feareth  God  can  have  no  meaner  fear.15 

Ahab. 

Ho  !  Amaziah  !  'twere  a  pleasant  thought, 
Now  that  confronted  are  the  chiefest  men 
Of  these  adverse  religions,  that  ye  hold, 
The  whilst  the  sacrifices  are  prepared, 
An  argument  to  entertain  the  time. 

Amaziah. 

My  lord,  O  king  !  'twould  be  a  compromise 
Of  dignity,  for  us  to  condescend 
2* 


34  elijaii, 

To  argue  with  schismatics.     Only  that 
Which  owns  its  likely  fallibility 
Seeks  and  rejoices  in  debate,  as  if 
In  noise  and  clamor  weakness  to  conceal. 
But  our  religion  needs  no  argument ; 
It  on  prescription,  not  on  reason,  stands. 
Ours  is  the  old  religion,  handed  down 
From  hoar  antiquity.     And  who  but  knows 
That  from  the  earliest  times,  while  Moses  was 
A  slave  in  Egypt,  nor  yet  had  despoiled 
The  Emims  and  Zamzummims  of  their  lands, 
The  king  Adonis,  lord  of  Light  and  Day, 
Received  the  homage  of  the  Syrian  maids. 
Before  his  orient  pomp  the  prostrate  world, 
As  now,  with  early  reverence,  adored. 
Ev'n  Abraham,  their  vaunted  patriarch, 
A  Chaldean  was,  and  worshipper  of  fire. 

Elijah. 
What  though  a  thousand  years  have  come  and  gone, 
Since,  from  the  second  cradle  of  our  race, 
'Twixt  Ararat's  twin  peaks,  the  nations  swarmed, 
And  all  that  time  in  error's  chains  were  bound  ? 
What  though  our  ancestors,  ere  Abram's  day, 
In  Aramsea,  blind  idolaters, 
Bowed  to  the  Sun  or  Eire  ?     No  lapse  of  time 
Can  Error's  nature  change,  or  consecrate. 
Error  is  Error  still,  nor  can  be  Truth, 


ELIJAH.  35 

Though  one  be  but  the  outbirth  of  an  hour, 

The  other  claim  the  centuries  for  its  own. 

Talk  we  of  hoar  antiquity  %     Lead  back 

Thy  thoughts  to  that  majestic  hour,  when  first 

God  into  being  spake  the  Earth  and  Heaven. 

Over  the  vast  Eternal  Silences 

In  Night  and  Horror  veiled,  rang  forth  the  word, 

"  Let  there  be  Light  !  "  and  from  the  chaos,  Light 

Sprang  forth  obedient,  all  the  infant  worlds 

Revealing  ;  while  the  glorious  Sons  of  God, 

Bright  morning-stars,  in  chorus  sang  for  joy. 

Then  first  the  sun,  a  new-made  orb,  was  set 

To  rule  the  day,  the  moon  to  rule  the  night, 

In  peaceful  and  unwearied  ministry, 

Jehovah's  will  fulfilling,  for  man's  good. 

And  short  the  homage  stops,  that  stays  on  them, 

Mere  servants  without  mind  or  life,  nor  higher 

Rises  to  the  great  Hand  that  lit  their  fires, 

To  creatures  giving  the  Creator's  due. 

What  courtier  suing  to  his  gracious  king, 

Lavishes  on  the  scribe  his  bursting  thanks, 

And  for  the  royal  donor  has  no  praise  ? 

Amaziah. 

Blank  atheism  !     What !  the  glorious  Sun 
Nought  but  a  globe  of  fire,  a  vulgar  lamp, 
For  meanest  deeds  of  meanest  men  devised  ! 
Sublimer  views  are  ours  ;  that  gorgeous  orb, 


3'J  ELIJAH. 

Upon  whose  blinding  splendors  none  may  gaze, 
The  palace  is  of  Sovereign  Deity, 
His  seat  and  dwelling-place,  his  flaming  throne, 
Majestic  chariot,  whence  he  guides  the  spheres. 
Not  otherwise  the  Moon,  and  several  Stars, 
Showering  down  radiance  from  their  golden  urns, 
Are  the  abodes  of  gods,  of  spirits  bright, 
Presiding  o'er  the  elements,  man's  natal  hour, 
The  growth  of  empires,  or  their  threatened  fall. 

Elijah. 

Not  me,  rather  thyself  an  atheist  deem, 

Who  dost  the  true  and  only  God  deny. 

Which  of  thine  idols,  wood,  or  brass,  or  stone, 

Silver  or  gold,  hath  made  and  fashioned  thee 

And   giv'n   thee  breath  1      How  could  they  aught 

create, 
Themselves  the  fragile  work  of  human  hands, 
Half  on  a  shrine,  and  half  behind  the  hearth  ? 
My  God  Creator  is  of  Earth  and  Heaven, 
And  all  things  in  them  that  do  live  or  move. 
Where  were   these   mighty   gods,  these   sovereign 

powers, 
With  high  celestial  influences  impregned, 
When  the  five  kings  before  great  Joshua  fled? 
"  Sun,  stand  thou  still  on  Gibeon  !  "  he  cried, 
"  And  stay,  thou  Moon,  o'er  Ajalon's  deep  vale  !  n 
They  heard  the  mandate,  and  their  fervid  wheels 


ELIJAH.  37 

Arrested  in  mid-heaven  ;  nor  e'er  was  known 
A  day  so  long  as  that,  when  at  the  voice 
Of  mortal  man  the  heavens  obedient  stood 
To  help  him  rout  their  faithful  worshippers. 
Strange  !  they  should  listen  rather  to  their  foe, 
Deaf  to  their  votaries'  despairing  prayer  ! 
These  are  thy  gods,  Samaria  !  put  to  shame 
Before  Jehovah,  true  and  only  God, 
The  God  of  Gods,  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  Most  High. 

Amaziaii. 
And  canst  thou  glory  in  a  Cruel  God, 
Ruthless  and  partial,  giving  to  the  sword 
Whole  unoffending  nations,  whose  sole  fault 
Was  fighting  for  their  altars  and  their  homes 
Against  the  insults  of  a  foreign  horde  2 
The  patriot's  meed,  the  patriot's  wreath,  be  theirs  ! 

Elijah. 
In  holy  horror  to  lift  up  thine  hands 
At  thought  of  cruelty,  doth  well  become 
Those  who  to  devils  sacrifice  their  sons, 
To  Canaan's  idol-^ods  their  daughters  dear  ! 
Now  hearken,  and  thy  calumny  retract. 
From  Egypt  fled,  asylum  Israel  sought, 
Molesting  no  one  on  their  peaceful  way, 
Till  first  themselves  assailed  by  every  king 
From  Zoar  unto  Zidon,  passage  free 


38  ELIJAH. 

Refusing,  or  opposing  them  in  arms.     , 

Compelled  to  self-defence,  they  drew  the  sword, 

Putting  their  foes  to  ignominious  rout ; 

And  thus  they  won  themselves  a  resting-place. 

Claim  not  the  patriot's  hallowed  name  or  meed 

For  wretches  stained  with  deeds  of  lust  and  blood, 

Who  tossed  their  smiling  babes  to  Moloch's  fires. 

The  land,  unable  longer  to  sustain 

Their  vile  abominations,  spued  them  forth ; 

A  holy  God  beheld  their  measure  full. 

His  high  prerogative  it  is,  to  use 

Famine  or  earthquake,  pestilence  or  sword, 

To  sweep  profane  transgressors  from  the  earth. 

Behold  the  Vale  of  Siddim  scathed  with  fire, 

And  sunk  beneath  the  sullen  Sea  of  Salt, 

Whose  ruined  cities,  smothered  in  their  lust, 

Attest  the  justice  of  avenging  heaven. 

And  these  abominations  ye  would  fain 
Lift  to  the  shrine  once  more,  your  dunghill  gods 
Seeking  to  please  with  rites  detestable. 
Repent !  and  to  the  bats  your  idols  fling, 
Or  robed  in  vengeance  shall  the  Lord  unlock 
The  armory  of  heaven.     Then  shall  his  eye 
Spare  not  nor  pity.     Think  not  it  shall  prove 
A  mountain-echo  vain.     On  foreign  shores 
Exiled  and  naked,  labor-sore  and  sad, 
The  heathen  whom  you  copy,  shall  you  serve  ; 
Already  buds  the  rod  of  chastisement. 


elij  a  ii .  ; 

The  web  is  wove  that  mantles  you  with  shame. 
Oh  Israel !  oh  my  country  !  shun  the  fate 
Which  heaven-daring  wickedness  insures ; 

0  Israel,  hear  !     The  Lord  thy  God  is  ONE  ! 

Zabdiel,  [aside.) 
His  words  do  stir  me  like  a  trumpet's  sound, 
Waking  up  long-forgotten  memories  ; 

1  learned  them,  standing  by  my  mother's  knee, 
A  happy  child  of  innocence  and  prayer. 

Hezrox,  (aside.) 
It  is  too  true  ;  the  land  in  mourning  lies 
For  crimes  at  which  humanity  may  weep, 
While  Modesty  conceals  her  blushing  face. 
Like  priest,  like  people  !     Princes  and  the  crowd 
Follow  with  greed  these  base  enormities. 

HlEL  THE  BeTHELITE. 

Why  quote  the  legends  that  have  had  their  day, 

Long  antiquated  and  exploded  quite  ! 

The  world  is  wiser  grown,  and  in  these  myths 

Of  Tammuz,  or  Osiris,  or  Adonis, 

Of  Isis  or  Astarte,  we  discern 

Profoundest  truths  of  astronomic  lore,17 

Seasons  and  solstices  prefiguring. 

'Tis  a  fair  thought  with  dance  and  song  to  hail 

Nature  reviving  from  her  wintry  trance, 


40  ELIJAH. 

And  from  her  icy  fetters  joyful  freed  ;  , 

Spring,  with  its  buds  and  birds,  and  breath  of  balm, 

Its  blowing  flovvers,  and  opulence  of  leaves  ; 

A  resurrection  from  the  shades  of  Death. 

But  for  those  Hebrew  writings,  none  that  prize 
A  name  for  culture  or  a  liberal  mind 
Respect  their  superstitious  legends  weak 
Of  worlds  made  out  of  nothing,  when  we  know 
Matter  must  be  eternal ;  and  of  gods 
That  plagued  th'  Egyptians  in  the  wilderness. 
'Tis  the  same  books  denounce  a  curse  on  him  18 
Who  would  the  City  of  Palm-trees  dare  rebuild. 
The  curse  has  harmless  stood  and  will ;  and  I 
Am  he  who  will  expose  it  to  contempt. 

Elijah.       , 
Behold  !  the  messenger  is  on  his  way 
To  tell  thee  the  foundation  hath  been  laid 
Now  in  thy  first-born's  blood.     One  after  one 
Shall  of  thy  children  follow,  giving  space 
For  thought  and  for  repentance,  which  if  thou 
Fail  to  improve  aright,  the  lofty  gates 
Shall  in  thy  youngest  darling  be  set  up. 

Jezebel. 
'Tis  not  for  me  to  enter  in  the  lists 
Of  keen  polemics.     Theologic  war 
Suits  nor  my  sex  nor  taste.     Not  judgment  cold, 


ELIJAH.  41 

But  warm  instinctive  impulse  governs  me. 
Much  more  congenial  to  my  woman's  heart, 
Than  a  stern  God,  in  storm  and  thunder  drest, 
Is  she  who  glides,  a  gentle  patroness, 
In  silver  shallop  'mid  the  island-stars, 
The  mild  Astarte,  to  our  frailties  kind, 
Full  of  a  mother's  sympathy  for  all. 
Sweet  mother  !  Queen  of  Heaven  !  be  hers  my  vows, 
The  incense,  and  the  monthly  offering  ! 
But  harsh  thy  creed,  old  man  !  and  rude  thy  speech, 
Kough  as  the  sea,  when  boisterous  Cadim  blows, 
Or  winds  Etesian  chafe  the  billowy  waste. 
Unpolished  and  uncouth  thy  native  tribes, 
Beside  the  more  refined  and  courtly  realms 
Of  wise  old  Egypt,  or  Assyria  grand, 
Sidon,  the  populous  mart  of  all  the  world,13 
Or  Tyre,  her  island-daughter,  young  and  fair. 
There  taste  is  nursed,  there  elegance  presides ; 
There  art  and  science  all  their  marvels  show  ; 
There  commerce  dazzles  with  her  wealth  of  wares, 
Exquisite  products  of  the  wheel  and  loom, 
Spices,  and  gems,  and  royallest  of  dyes  ; 
The  very  sands  with  crystal  treasures  teem.20 
Shrines,  temples,  stately  palaces  adorn 
Each  avenue,  and  charm  the  stranger's  epe. 
A  thousand  keels,  dripping  with  foreign  brine, 
Borne  down  with  rich  freights  to  the  water's  edge, 
The  harbor  throng,  luxuriously  equipped 


42  ELIJAH. 

With  broidered  sails  and  banks  of  ivory. 

How  far  beyond  the  base  simplicity 
Of  the  half-tutored  Hebrews,  who  can  show 
No  arts,  no  commerce,  no  soul-breathing  forms 
By  master-hands  from  purest  marble  wrought ! 
Nay,  when  the  only  temple  that  they  boast 
Was  at  vast  cost  of  toil  and  treasure  reared, 
Unequal  to  the  task  they  stood  confest. 
Sidonian  builders  shaped  the  mighty  pile, 
Sid oman  skill  the  cedars  carved,  and  hewed 
Column  and  cornice  from  the  stubborn  stone. 
Say,  which  the  better  creed,  most  worthy  heaven,     * 
Which  most  embellishes  and  brightens  life  % 

Elijah. 
What  are  the  vaunted  miracles  of  art, 
The  sumptuous  colonnade,  the  sculptured  pomp, 
The  thrift  of  trade,  the  niceties  of  taste, 
The  sophist's  swelling  words,  the  harp's  sweet  tones, 
What  to  the  welfare  of  a  deathless  soul ! 
A  soul  in  ruins  !  an  immortal  mind, 
By  error  led  astray,  and  kindred  vice, 
Fall'n  like  a  star  from  heaven ;  its  glory-robes 
Besmirched  and  sullied  in  the  mire  of  sin  ! 
Better  to  starve  in  honest  rags,  than  roll 
A  pampered  wanton,  to  the  shades  of  death  ; 
Better  the  uncouth  peasant,  rude  in  speech, 
Who  knows  the  true  God  and  him  knowing  loves, 


ELIJAH.  43 

Than  the  proud  prince  who  bows  to  idols  false, 
And  as  he  bows,  proclaims  his  deeper  shame. 
With  pen  of  iron  and  point  of  diamond  writ, 
The  Truth  of  God  defies  the  tooth  of  Time, 
Imperishable  'mid  the  world's  wild  wreck, 
When  Noph  and  Nineveh  shall  buried  be. 

And  thou,  gay,  godless  Sidon,  drunk  with  wealth, 
Thy  revenue  the  harvest  of  the  sea  ; 
Thou  that  the  people  of  the  Lord  dost  scorn, 
And  tempt  them  with  thy  vile  idolatries  ; 
The  sword  without,  and  pestilence  within, 
Shall  lay  thy  princes  low  ;  the  captive  yoke 
Shall  gall  thy  neck  ;  deserted  and  decayed, 
Thy  silt-choked  harbor  and  thy  beggared  site 
Shall  to  the  far-off  ages  loud  proclaim, 
Who  God  dishonor,  shall  dishonored  be. 
Howl,  haughty  Tyre  !  thy  glory  taketh  wing ; 
Prepare  the  sackcloth  and  the  ashes  strew  ! 
I  hear  the  shout  of  war,  the  clashing  lance, 
The  trampling  hoof,  the  hollow-rumbling  wheel, 
The  tower  and  rampart  thund'ring  to  the  dust, 
And  leaving  thee  a  bald  and  naked  rock. 
Ye  nations,  pass  the  cup  of  trembling  round, 
Nor  dare  to  put  it  from  your  vice-worn  lips  ! 

Ma  AC  HAH. 

Old  man  !  thou  art  severe  ;  thou  hast  no  ruth,21 
No  pity  in  thy  soul.     Thy  veins  were  filled 
Not  from  a  woman's,  but  a  tiger's  breasts. 


44  ELIJAH. 

Elijah. 

Not  so  !     God  knoweth,  who  shall  be  my  judge, 

'Tis  not  from  native  love  of  savageness, 

Nor  from  delight  in  pain,  that  I  employ 

Warnings  and  thrcatenings  to  deter  from  sin. 

Not  to  my  sympathy  in  vain  appealed 

The  widow  of  Sidonian  Zarephath, 

Nor  none  o'er  her  reviving  son  more  joyed. 

Unfeeling  eall  me  not !     My  heart  doth  bleed 

To  see  my  people  perish  for  the  want 

Of  thought,  like  ships  upon  the  breakers  driv'n. 

Most  willingly,  t'  avert  th'  impending  fate, 

On  mine  own  head  I'd  call  the  thunders  down. 

Sole  witness  for  the  true  religion  left, 

With  bitter  tears  and  groans  I  cry  aloud, 

O  Israel,  hear  !     The  Lord  thy  God  is  ONE  ! 

Tis  thou,  O  queen  !  that  play  est  the  cruel  part, 

For  thou  thy  rightful  influence  dost  abuse, 

To  lure  thy  son  to  worship  Baalim, 

Their  ruin  thus  assuring,  and  his  own. 

Itiiobal. 
Prophet,  forbear  !  thou  touchest  delicate  ground  ; 
The  sanctity  which  princes  doth  environ 
Should  be  preserved  inviolate.     If  thou 
Must  prophesy  of  ill,  to  Judah  turn,"2 
Where  with  congenial  bigots  thou  may'st  herd  ; 


ELIJAH.  45 

But  vent  not  thy  rebukes  where  courtly  ears, 
Fastidious,  are  to  smoother  language  used. 

Elijah. 

Truth  is  the  passion  of  my  soul.     For  Truth 
I'd  tread  the  burning  marl,  or  dare  the  rage 
Oflions  and  of  leopards,  or  of  men 
More  fierce  than  either.     Unappalled  I'd  stand 
Beneath  the  frown  of  power,  or  face  the  shock 
Of  the  incensed  and  surging  multitude, 
By  prejudice  and  malice  hounded  on. 
Torn  be  my  tortured  body  limb  from  limb, 
My  martyr  heart  hiss  in  the  curling  flames, 
Ere  I  the  word  of  God  should  compromise ! 
Soon  as  the  Spirit  Divine,  with  hallowed  fire, 
Exalting  sense  and  soul,  my  lips  doth  touch, 
All  meaner  objects  vanish  from  my  sight, 
Nor  thrones  nor  dungeons  dazzle  or  confound. 
The  word  put  in  my  mouth  I'll  speak,  if  men 
Lend  or  refuse  their  ears.     Be  it  that  ye  wish 
No  further  parley  !     Let  us  to  the  test. 
Less  than  a  miracle  will  not  suffice 
This  contest  to  decide.     Who  answereth 
By  fire,  O  Israel !  he  shall  be  thy  God. 

Ah  ae. 
A  limping  course  hath  this  debate  pursued, 
Like  every  other,  leaving  either  side 


46  ELIJAH. 

Just  where  it  found  them.     As  for  my  dull  brain, 

Stunned  by  these  subtleties,  sufficeth  it 

I  am  th'  anointed  ruler  of  this  realm. 

5Tis  my  prerogative  to  legislate 

In  civil  and  ecclesiastic  things  supreme. 

With  rights  of  conscience  I  ne'er  interfere,23 

All  as  they  please  may  think,  but  must  conform 

To  the  established  worship.     Odious  schism 

And  factious  discord  I  abominate, 

Nor  license  disobedience  to  the  laws. 

Go,  heralds  !  bid  the  holy  priests  prepare 

The  gravest  rites  of  their  religion  now, 

And  in  our  dire  distresses  spare  no  pains 

To  make  the  immortal  gods  propitious  to  us. 

Elijah. 
Aye,  bid  them  spare  no  pains,  put  forth  their  strength, 
And  summon  all  th'  array  of  their  resources. 
How  long  'twixt  two  opinions  will  ye  halt, 
O  Israel !  as  cripples  sway  about, 
Or  as  a  bird  that  hops  from  spray  to  spray, 
And  settles  upon  neither  %     If  convinced 
Jehovah  is  the  true  and  only  God, 
Almighty,  all-sufficient,  perfect  good, 
Give  him  your  homage,  pay  to  him  your  vows. 
If  Baal  be  the  true  and  living  God, 
Serve  Baal ;  for  ye  cannot  worship  both. 
Why  silent  all?  and  have  ye  ne'er  a  word 


ELIJAH.  47 

To  answer  me,  from  policy  or  fear  ? 

Why,  see  !  I,  only  I,  one  feeble  man, 

Am  left  of  all  the  prophets  of  the  Lord, 

While  twenty  score  are  ranged  on  Baal's  side; 

What  have  ye  then  to  fear  with  such  vast  odds  ? 

Give  us  two  bullocks  ;  and  let  Baal's  priests 

Make  their  selection,  dress  their  sacrifice, 

And  lay  it  on  the  altar  ;  but  no  fire 

Put  'neath  the  wood,  as  is  their  wont  to  do. 

I  will  the  other  bullock  treat  likewise. 

Then  call  ye  on  your  gods ;  and  I  will  call 

Upon  the  sole  name  of  Jehovah-God. 

And  let  the  God  who  answereth  by  fire 

Be  publicly  confessed  the  only  God. 

Must  not  the  God  of  Fire  his  votaries  hear  ? 

Is  not  the  element  at  his  command  ? 

Shall  it  be  said,  he  either  lacks  the  power, 

Or  else  the  will,  to  send  the  kindling  flame  ? 

And  lacking  either,  does  he  merit  homage  ? 

Are  ye  content  ? 

All. 
We  are  ;  thou  hast  well  said. 


Her  J 


ALD. 


The  altar's  reared,  the  sacrifice  disposed, 
They  wait  but  for  the  roval  word. 


48  ELIJAH. 

Ahab. 


Proceed. 


[The  Priests  of  Baal  march  round  the  altar, 
singing  in  chorus,  and  dancing  vehemently  at 
the  close  of  each  strophe. 

Cfyornw  of  %  prints  of  §nnl 

i. 

Dread  Lord  of  heaven,  sole  source  of  day,24 
To  whom  our  constant  orisons  we  pay, 
Hear  us,  great  king  ! 
Adoni,  hear ! 
Thee  we  revere, 
Accept  our  offering. 

II. 

Behold  our  blighted  fields  ! 

No  fruit  the  olive  yields, 
No  more  the  land  with  milk  and  honey  flows ; 

The  pools  and  fountains  fail, 

The  fainting  cattle  wail, 
Bashan  is  parched,  and  faded  Sharon's  rose. 

O  vine  of  Sibmah,  mourn  ! 

Upon  the  ear  is  borne 
No  more  the  shout  of  merry  vintagers  ; 


ELIJAH.  49 

The  presses  all  are  still ; 
On  valley  and  on  hill 
No  voice  of  joy  the  slumbering  echo  stirs. 

hi. 

Beautiful  Water  :  best  gift  of  the  sky, 
Cool  to  the  touch,  and  clear  to  the  eye ; 
Hidden  deep  in  the  shaded  well, 
Bubbling  up  from  the  mossy  dell. 

Beautiful  in  the  rocky  grot, 

Where  the  heats  of  noontide  enter  not ; 

In  the  dewy  pearls  that  sprinkle  the  lea, 

In  the  shimmering  lake,  and  the  dimpling  sea. 

Beautiful  in  the  rainbow  bright, 
Woven  of  mists  and  threads  of  light ; 
Beautiful  in  the  vernal  shower, 
Greening  the  leaf,  and  tinting  the  flower. 

Beautiful  in  the  sandy  waste, 

The  Eye  of  the  Desert,  with  palm  trees  graced ; 

With  frantic  joy  the  caravans  cry, 

Beautiful  Water  !  best  gift  of  the  sky. 

Windows  of  heaven,  open  again, 
Refresh  once  more  the  thirsty  plain ! 
Merciful  Lord  !  thy  suppliants  spare, 
Close  not  thine  ear  to  a  nation's  prayer ! 
3 


50  ELIJAH. 

IV. 

Why  do  thy  quenchless  ardors  burn, 
Why  dost  thou  our  petitions  spurn, 
Why  do  thy  fire-tipt  arrows  fly 
Vengeful  athwart  the  brazen  sky  1 

Thy  altars  we  have  not  forsaken ; 
The  holy  fire 
We  have  not  suffered  to  expire ; 

And  freely  hath  the  choicest  of  the  herd  been  taken. 


Not  thus  did  Nature  mourn, 
Dishevelled  and  forlorn, 
When,  in  the  shady  Syrian  grove, 
The  queen  of  Beauty  and  of  Love, 
Her  divine  and  perfect  charms 
Gave  to  thy  consenting  arms. 
All  nature  breathed  of  happiness  ; 
From  their  gold-lipped  chalices 
A  thousand  flowers  sweet  odors  shed 
To  grace  thy  happy  nuptial-bed. 
All  the  dreamy  noon  was  still, 
Save  the  rippling  of  the  rill, 
And  the  doves,  with  breasts  of  snow 
Cooing  soothingly  and  low  ; 
Slumberous  zephyrs  softly  sighed, 
Kissing  myrtles  soft  replied  ; 


ELIJAH.  51 

Sifted  through  the  leafy  screen, 
Mellow  light  fell,  golden-green ; 
All  thy  faculties  entrancing, 
Every  pulse  with  rapture  dancing ; 
Thus,  in  the  shady  Syrian  grove, 
The  hours  were  given  to  thee  and  love. 

VI. 

By  those  thrilling  ecstasies, 

By  that  lunacy  of  bliss  ; 

By  their  fond  remembrance  now, 

Clothe  with  smiles  once  more  thy  brow ; 

Hear  us  imploring, 

See  us  adoring  ! 

VII. 

Recall  that  day  of  woe, 
When  to  the  chase  thou  fain  wouldst  go ; 
In  vain  thy  queen  around  thee  clung, 
In  vain  prophetic  warnings  filled  her  tongue. 
Then  met  thee,  in  the  forest  lone, 
The  cruel  boar  of  Lebanon  : 
See  his  visage  grim  and  dusk, 
His  bloodshot  eye,  his  horrid  tusk ! 
The  slender  spear  within  thine  hand 
Could  not  his  powerful  charge  withstand  ; 
Rushing  like  a  wintry  storm, 
He  dashed  to  earth  thy  lissom  form  ; 
And  ripping  up  thy  naked  side, 
Tore  a  ghastly  wound  and  wide. 


52  ELIJAH. 

So  a  lily,  frail  and  fair, 
Cloven  by  the  ruthless  share, 
Sudden  droops  its  beauteous  head, 
Sinking  on  the  turfy  bed. 

VIII. 

From  that  wound  thy  life's  warm  blood 
Welled  amain  in  stanchless  flood, 
Dabbling  all  thy  sunny  hair ; 
Thy  body,  delicate  and  fair, 
Smooth  as  rosebud  of  the  spring, 
In  clotted  gore  enveloping. 
It  bathed  the  wind-flower  growing  nigh, 
And  tinged  it  with  a  sanguine  dye ; 
Then,  trickling  onward  to  the  river, 
Incarnadined  its  waves  forever, 
And  flower  and  river  still  retain 
The  memory  of  that  mournful  stain.25 

IX. 

What  wrords  the  frantic  grief  can  paint 
That  poor  Astarte's  bosom  rent, 
As  by  that  mangled  corse  she  sate, 
Utterly  disconsolate  ! 
The  Syrian  maids,  with  sobs  and  sighs, 
Mingled  their  deepest  sympathies, 
Seated  like  mourners  on  the  ground  : 
"  Tammuz  is  dead  !  "  the  woods,26 
"  Tammuz  is  dead  !  "  the  floods, 
"Tammuz  is  dead  !"  the  rocky  hills  rebound. 


ELIJAH.  53 

X. 

Upstarting  from  her  trance  of  grief, 
From  heaven  the  goddess  seeks  relief, 
And  all  her  potent  influence  wields ; 
Reluctant  Death  his  victim  yields. 

Tammuz  revives, 

He  lives,  he  lives  ! 
Restored  to  upper  air, 
Again  the  joys  of  life  and  love  to  share. 

The  Syrian  maids 

Bid  woods  and  glades 
Once  more  re-echo  his  beloved  name. 
And  Nile  from  Byblos  learns  to  celebrate  his  fame. 

XI. 

And  still,  from  year  to  year, 
With  songs  and  dances  they  appear ; 
And  still,  from  age  to  age, 
All  people  in  thy  praise  engage ; 
Whether  with  flowing  hair  and  foot  of  gold, 
Thou  dost  the  portals  of  the  Dawn  unfold, 
Or  sett'st  'mid  gorgeous  piles  of  crimson  glory, 
All  climes  and  tongues  rehearse  the  pleasing  story. 
Then  hear  our  prayer  ! 
Lowly  we  bend, 
Deliverance  send, 
Sweet  Tammuz,  hear  ! 


54  ELIJAH. 

XII. 

God  of  day, 

Prince  of  light, 
Disperser  of  clouds, 

Scatterer  of  night ; 
Adoni  great, 

Sphered  in  splendor, 
Life  of  the  world, 

Our  health's  defender, 
Hear,  Baal,  hear, 
Answer  our  prayer  !  , 

Zabdiel. 
If  in  vociferation  prayer  consist, 
Or  clamor  be  the  test  of  piety, 
Then  iron  lungs  and  throats  of  brass  must  rate 
The  chief  equipment  of  superior  saints. 
Prayer  is  the  quiet  breathing  of  the  heart, 
The  lowly  whisper,  or  the  contrite  sigh, 
Which  He  who  made  the  heart  interprets  well ; 
Only  when  calm,  the  lake  reflecteth  heaven. 
See  how  they  toil  and  sweat,  at  vast  expense 
Of  nerve  and  muscle,  vaulting  in  the  air, 
While  "  Baal !  Baal !  Baal !  "  is  their  cry,27 
Repeated  o'er  and  o'er,  a  thousand  times. 

IIezrox. 
And  see,  as  with  a  sudden  frenzy  seized, 
They  leap  upon  the  altar,  and  with  shouts 


ELIJAH,  55 

And  mad  contortions,  cut  with  lancets  keen 28 
And  sacrificial  knives,  their  arms  and  breasts. 

Elijah. 
Loud  and  yet  louder  lift  your  urgent  voice, 
And  spill  the  crimson  tide,  whose  stream  delights, 
Sweeter  than  incense,  your  blood-thirsty  god  ! 
Louder  and  louder  cry  !  spare  not  your  breath  ! 
For  sprung  from  mortals,  to  your  god  may  cleave 
Some  weaknesses  of  frail  mortality. 
Perchance  he  sleeps  ;  for  now  'tis  past  high  noon,29 
When  gods  do  oft  retire  to  cover  up 
Their  feet,  and  slumber  in  some  cool  recess. 
Perchance  he  tarries  in  the  nether  world, 
Not  having  heard  the  vivifying  voice 
That  terminates  his  hybernation  drear. 
Perchance  with  Ashtaroth  he  converse  holds, 
And  as  he  lips  his  leman,  fails  to  catch 
Your  feeble  supplications.     Or,  mayhap, 
Fond  of  the  chase,  again  he  flies  the  boar, 
And  drops  again  beneath  the  deadly  tusk. 
Or,  it  may  be,  on  Ethiopian  hills, 
A  twelve  days'  journey  gone,  he  keeps  a  feast, 
And  nectar  sips  'mid  all  his  jocund  troop, 
Nor  heeds  the  miseries  of  mortal  men. 
Cry,  cry  aloud  f  Shout  till  your  throats  are  hoarse, 
For  day  is  waning,  and  as  yet  no  voice 
Nor  answering  sign  gives  proof  of  being  heard. 


56  ELIJAH. 


Amaziaii. 


Stop  the  baldheaded  prater's  ribald  tongue, 

Nor  longer  let  him  vent  his  blasjmemies  ! 

He  hath  profaned  the  awful  name,  at  which 

The  world  adores  and  trembles.     Wizard  hoar ! 

Thy  counter-prayers  and  secret  arts  prevail 

Against  a  nation's  warm  devotions.     Here, 

Here  see  the  fatal  cause  of  this  long  drought ! 

No  wonder  that  the  angry  god  withholds 

His  favor,  whilst  that  this  blasphemer  lives. 

We  have  besieged  his  throne  ;  with  flocks  and  herds 

Incessantly  his  altar-fires  have  smoked, 

And  all  in  vain.     Behold  the  guilty  cause ! 

The  god  demands  a  human  sacrifice, 

And  richer  blood,  his  chiefest  enemy's, 

Must  flow,  and  now,  that  he  may  be  appeased. 

Haste,  seize  the  traitor,  bind  his  aged  limbs, 

And  lay  him  as  a  victim  on  the  stone  ! 

All. 

Down  with  the  wretch  !  kill  him  !  away  with  him  ! 
Let  not  his  presence  more  pollute  the  earth  ! 

Amaziaii. 

Our  royal  master  sees  the  people's  rage ; 
It  swelleth  like  the  sea,  nor  can  be  curbed. 
Will  he  not  yield  consent  % 


ELIJAII.  57 

Jezebel. 

I  give  my  voice, 
To  have  this  insolent  wretch  at  once  cut  off. 

Maachah. 
The  gloomy  bigot !  let  him  die  the  death. 

HlEL. 

Aye,  crush  the  reptile,  on  him  stamp  the  heel, 
And  leave  no  fragment  to  all  future  time. 

Ahab. 

My  lords  and  ladies  !  much  it  irketh  me 

To  say  ye  nay  ;  but  I  have  pledged  my  word, 

Safe-conduct  have  engaged.     It  must  be  kept. 

Amaziaii. 

And  suffer  vile  blasphemers  to  escape  ! 
What  rights  of  faith  preserved,  or  promises, 
Can  outlaws  claim,  the  enemies  avowed 
Of  God  and  man  ? 

Hiel. 
Spare  not  the  snivelling  dotard  ! 
Smite  the  conspirator  against  thy  peace, 
The  troubler  of  the  realm  ! 
3* 


58  ELIJAH. 

Ithobal. 

I  thank  the  gods, 
For  this  propitious  hour  !     Thine  influence  add, 

0  queen  !  of  him  thou  hatcst  rid  thyself ! 

Jezebel. 
Art  thou  a  king,  and  dost  thou  yet  allow 
Petty  punctilios  to  restrain  thy  hands  ? 
Kings  are  above  all  law  ;  the  fountains  they 
Of  honor  ;  in  the  place  of  God  they  stand  ; 
Their  doings  none  may  question  or  gainsay. 

Ahab. 
My  noble  lords  !  the  royal  word  is  pledged. 
To  all  my  faults  I  dare  not  add  this  crime, 
Dishonored  in  the  world's  eyes  and  mine  own. 
And  since  this  trial  should  approach  its  close, 
And  Baal's  priests  the  livelong  day  have  prayed, 
It  is  but  just  the  prophet  in  his  turn 
Now  offer  sacrifice  ;  and  if  so  be, 
No  answering  sign  from  heaven  be  vouchsafed, 
As  he  this  convocation  first  proposed, 

1  to  your  pleasure  will  surrender  him. 
Heralds  !  make  room,  all  needful  things  provide. 

Elijah. 
Countrymen.  Hebrews,  Sons  of  Israel, 
Of  him  who,  as  a  prince,  had  power  with  God  ! 


ELIJAH.  59 

If  any  faithful  and  devout  remain 
In  all  this  concourse,  let  him  hither  come, 
And  build  with  me  an  altar  to  the  Lord. 
I  charge  you  by  those  grand  old  memories 
Which  cluster  round  our  nation's  history. 
Can  you  forget  the  wonders  and  the  signs ; 
The  land  of  bondage,  and  the  pilgrim  march  ; 
The  pillared  cloud  ;  the  separated  sea  ; 
The  thundered  law,  and  Sinai  in  a  blaze ; 
The  manna  and  the  rock  ;  the  swollen  flood 
Of  Jordan  parted  in  the  midst ;  the  walls 
Of  Jericho  at  seventh  circuit  fali'n  ; 
The  giant  Anakim,  the  banded  kings, 
Vanquished  by  Israel's  victorious  arms  ? 
Can  ye  forget,  O  Israel !  who  nursed 
Your  weakness  into  strength,  on  eagle-wings 
Upbare  you,  like  a  mother  overwatched 
And  to  your  present  greatness  led  your  steps  ? 
Will  you  forsake  Jehovah,  Lord  of  Hosts? 
Upon  this  height,  by  hands  of  godly  men, 
In  generations  past,  an  altar  rose 
To  the  true  God.     Dismantled  and  broke  down, 
Ours  be  it  now  this  ruin  to  repair. 
Set  up  twelve  stones  on  which  no  tool  hath  passed,. 
According  to  the  number  of  the  tribes, 
And  dig  around  the  base  a  shallow  trench. 
Next  pile  the  wood  ;  the  bullock  kill  and  flay  ; 
And  all  his  pieces  place  upon  the  wood  : 


60  ELIJAH. 

It  is  a  whole  burnt-offering  to  the  Lord. 

Wherefore,  to  testify  his  world-wide  rule, 

I  wave  the  shoulder  to  the  north,  whence  come 

Frost  or  fair  weather,  as  his  breath  directs ; 

Unto  the  south,  impregned  with  softening  winds  ; 

Unto  the  east,  that  hails  the  rising  sun  ; 

Unto  the  west,  that  sees  its  going  down. 

And  now,  to  silence  scoffing  lips,  that  fain 

Would  prate  of  juggling  and  collusive  arts, 

Four  water-barrels  empty  on  the  whole. 

A  second  time  repeat  it ;  and  a  third ; 

Until  both  altar,  sacrifice,  and  wood, 

Are  saturated,  and  the  trench  o'erflows. 

Zabdiel. 

Oh,  how  my  heart  did  leap  to  hear  his  words, 
As  though  it  had  with  holy  fire  been  touched  ! 
Dost  note  the  slanting  shadows  ?     JTis  the  hour 
Of  evening  sacrifice,  by  the  old  law 
Appointed. 

Hezron. 
True  !  a  strange  coincidence  ! 

Zabdiel. 

And  dost  thou  note  the  man  of  God  his  face 
Studious  avcrteth  from  the  sun,  to  teach 
The  crowd,  the  god  they  worship  is  not  his  ? 


ELIJAH.  61 


Hezrox. 


And  see !  he  stretcheth  forth  his  hands  to  pray. 
Believest  thou  that  fire  will  fall  from  heaven  ? 

Zabdiel. 
If  there's  a  God  in  Israel,  it  will. 

Elijah. 
'  O  Thou  Most  High  Jehovah,  cov'nant  God 
Of  holy  Abraham,  Isaac,  Israel ! 
The  hour  hath  come  for  thee  to  pluck  thine  hand 
From  out  thy  bosom,  and  to  bare  thine  arm 
In  sight  of  all  the  people.     Let  them  know 
That  thou  art  Israel's  God,  worthy  alone 
Of  praise  and  worship,  working  in  the  heavens 
As  pleases  thee,  and  ruling  over  all. 
Approve  me  as  thy  servant,  and  make  known 
That  all  that  I  have  done  was  at  thy  word, 
And  not  of  mine  own  counsel.     Hear  me,  Lord, 
O  hear  !  and  answer  by  a  sign  of  dread. 
As  thou  didst  Aaron,  Gideon,  David,  hear; 
That  they  may  know  thou  art  Jehovah-God, 
For  thy  name  jealous,  yet  most  merciful. 

Hezrox. 
See  !  see  !  the  fire  of  heaven  !  from  the  clear  sky 
The  flash  descends — the  altar's  in  a  blaze — 
The  sacrifice  is  hid  in  smoke — the  wood, 


62  ELIJAH. 

The  stones,  the  very  dust,  are  all  consumed, 
All  melted  in  one  mass  of  blood-red  flame — 
Ne'er  for  such  purpose  to  be  used  again.. 
And  see !  the  water  hissing  in  the  trench, 
The  fire  hath  licked  it  up,  to  vapor  turned. 

Elijah. 

Down  on  your  faces,  O  ye  people,  fall, 

And  own  your  God  !  the  great  Jehovah  own  ! 

All. 

Behold  a  miracle  !  a  miracle  ! 
Jehovah  is  the  God,  the  God  alone ; 
Jehovah  is  the  true  and  living  God. 
No  more  we  worship  idols,  but  our  backs 
We  turn  on  Baal,  and  the  Lord  adore. 

Elijah. 

Now  if  ye  from  your  idols  truly  turn, 

And  will  be  zealous  for  the  Lord  of  Hosts, 

Seize  the  false  priests  of  Baal,  let  none  flee  ! 

So  is  it  written  in  the  law,  "  If  one, 

Although  he  be  thy  bosom-friend,  and  dear 

As  thine  own  soul,  should  slily  thee  entice 

To  follow  other  gods,  thou  shalt  not  spare, 

Nor  shall  thine  eye  have  pity.     He  shall  die, 

For  that  he  thrust  thee  from  the  Lord  away, 

"Who  brought  thee  from  the  land  of  bondage."  Hence ! 


ELIJAH.  63 

Away  with  the  idolatrous,  foul  brood, 

To  Kishon's  brook,  and  slay  them  there.    The  waves 

Shall  wash  the  land  forever  of  this  plague. 

Jezebel. 

Wilt  thou,  O  king,  permit  this  massacre 
Of  a  whole  priestly  tribe,  before  thine  eyes  ? 

Ahab. 
I  cannot  interfere.     Such  was  the  pact, 
Such  the  conditions  I  myself  imposed, 
"  Failure,  to  either  party  fatal  proves." 

Zephon. 
It  may  be  weakness,  but  such  bloody  scenes 
Are  to  my  feelings  most  repugnant.     Truth 
Requires  not,  sure,  such  questionable  aids. 
Not  words  of  thunder,  nor  rebukes  of  fire, 
Not  earthquake  throes,  nor  elemental  war, 
But  gentle  ministries  of  patient  love, 
Subdue  the  heart,  and  melt  its  flint  to  tears. 

Obadiah. 
The  fickle  people  and  the  court,  I  know 
Better  than  those  who  in  seclusion  live, 
And  premature  this  exultation  deem. 
Sudden  reforms,  unbased  on  principle, 
Lack  root  and  permanence.     Reaction  comes  ; 
The  cloud  exhales  before  the  first  hot  sun ; 


64  i:  LI  J  AH. 

The  unfed  torrent  dies  out  in  the  sand  ; 
Discouragement  ensues,  despair  and  fear. 
Stunned  by  the  failure  and  the  total  wreck, 
Ev'n  prophets,  for  they  are  but  men,  may  yield 
The  hopeless  cause,  and  to  the  desert  flee. 

Elijah. 
In  the  faint  rustle  of  the  leaves,  O  king  ! 
I  hear  the  token  of  returning  grace  ; 
Now  get  thee  up,  to  thy  pavilion  hie, 
And  with  unwonted  gladness  spread  the  feast. 
I  give  myself  to  prayer.     Thou,  Zephon  I  climb 
Yon  rising  ground,  and  bring  me  sure  report 
What  thou  discernest  on  the  rough'ning  sea. 

God  of  my  fathers  !  let  me  with  thee  plead  ; 
Appear  for  thine  own  name  ;  thy  word  fulfil ; 
Nor  leave  thy  cause  to  deep  reproach  and  shame  ! 

Zephon. 
No  pleasing  change  I  mark  :  the  brazen  sky 
Glowrs  with  unshaded  and  relentless  glare. 

Elijah. 
Seven  times  return  again,  and  watch  untircd. 

O  gracious  King  of  Heaven  !  shall  the  bold  mocks 
Of  heathen  scoffers  now  insult  mine  ear, 


ELIJAH.  65 

While  they  profanely  cry,  "  Where  is  thy  God  ? 
Not  for  mine  honor,  Lord  !  but  thy  great  name, 
Reveal  thine  arm,  and  teach  the  godless  world, 
'Tis  Thou  alone,  not  Gentile  vanities, 
That  rain  dost  give,  from  out  thy  treasure-cloud. 

Zephon. 
Seven  times  mine  eye  hath  the  far  sea-line  swept, 
Since  thou  hast  here  bowed  motionless,  thine  head 
Deep-buried  in  thine  hands  :  and  now  at  length 
Out  of  the  sea  ascends  a  little  cloud 
In  form  and  bigness  like  a  human  hand. 

Elijah. 

I  thank  thee,  God  of  prayer  !     On  rapid  wing 
Expanding,  'twill  o'ercanopy  the  heavens, 
And  burst  with  sudden  and  resistless  force 
In  an  impetuous  deluge  on  the  plain. 
My  lord,  O  king  !  thy  chariot  prepare, 
That  the  swift-coming  tempest  stay  thee  not ; 
Whiles  that  thy  servant,  girding  up  his  loins, 
Will  run  before  thee  to  thy  palace-gate. 

Welcome,  thrice  welcome,  to  the  thirsty  fields, 
The  genial  gift  of  Him  who  answers  prayer  ! 
Praise  to  the  King  of  Glory  !  who  doth  give 
Unto  his  saints  a  two-edged  sword,  his  wrath 
To  execute  upon  the  heathen,  and  to  bind 


66  ELIJAH. 

In  chains  the  rebels  that  oppose  his  will. 
Sons  of  the  prophets  !  lead  the  swelling  strain, 
For  this  should  be  a  joyful  clay  to  you. 

filjorns  of  %  §>m\%  al  %  ^ropljds.30 

i. 
Laud,  blessing,  adoration,  are  thy  right, 

Great  King  of  boundless  majesty  ! 
Thy  mantle  is  the  living  light ; 
Thou  fillest  heaven's  high  throne, 
And  sway'st  the  sceptre  of  the  skies  alone  : 

Among  the  gods  none  dares  to  rival  thee. 

n. 

Thou  madest  heaven  and  earth, 

The  hoarse  waves  echo  back  thine  awful  name ; 
Thou  wast,  before  the  mountains  had  their  birth, 

Before  the  pillars  of  old  Nature's  frame. 

Hi. 

The  flaming  sun 

Thy  glory,  not  his  own,  reveals ; 

As  on  his  swift  but  silent  wheels, 

Along  the  constellated  arch, 

With  giant  step,  and  conqueror's  march, 
He  slackens  not  the  rein,  until  his  goal  be  won. 


ELIJAH.  67 

IV. 

Rising,  setting, 
Ne'er  forgetting 
The  place  to  which  he,  panting,  must  return ; 
Thy  guiding  will 
He  hastens  to  fulfil, 
Which  formed  him  first,  and  bade  his  splendors  burn. 

v. 

The  thunder  is  thy  voice  ;  and  thine,  O  God  ! 

The  lightning's  terrible  beauty,  gleaming  far  ; 

When  thou  dost  yoke  the  whirlwind  to  thy  car, 
And  ride  upon  the  wings  of  storms  abroad. 

IV 

O'er  the  Great  Sea  resounds  the  deafening  roar, 
The  range  of  Lebanon  it  rolleth  o'er, 
And  Sirion  shakes  at  its  terrific  peals. 
Flash  after  flash  the  forest-depths  reveals, 
Shivers  the  lofty  cedars  with  its  stroke, 
And  of  its  foliage  strips  the  giant  oak. 
Rent  is  the  black  and  overhanging  pall, 
And  welcome  torrents  on  the  valleys  fall. 

VII. 

What  are  idols,  false  and  vain  % 
Lust  and  blood  are  in  their  train ; 


68  ELIJAH. 

Sightless  eyes  and  helpless  hands; 
None  his  votary  understands  ; 
Weak  to  bless,  and  weak  to  ban, 
Senseless  god,  and  senseless  man  ! 

vrn. 

Our  God  is  in  the  heavens  :     He  guides 
The  starry  paths,  the  ocean  tides ; 
Nothing  too  great,  nothing  too  small ! 
His  equal  eye  is  over  all ; 
Dropping  with  gold  the  insect's  wing, 
Or  widest  empires  managing. 
The  callow  raven's  cry  he  hears, 
And  champion  of  the  poor  appears. 

IX. 

They  that  persecute  the  just 
Touch  the  apple  of  his  eye ; 
His  terrors  make  th'  oppressor  fly, 
And  beat  the  wicked  small  as  dust. 
Though  hand  in  hand, 
The  wicked  band, 
His  people  to  exterminate  ; 
For  Israel's  sighs 
He  will  arise. 
Their  righteous  cause  to  vindicate. 
Asunder  cut  the  impious  cords, 
God  of  gods,  and  Lord  of  lords  ! 


ELIJAH.  69 

X. 

Praise  Him  in  the  highest  height, 
Lucid  orbs  of  quenchless  light ! 
Praise  Him  in  the  depths  below, 
Lightning's  flash,  and  winter's  snow ! 

Praise  Him,  mountains  gray  and  tall ; 
Torrents,  that  in  thunder  fall ! 
Birds,  whose  song  the  morning  wakes ; 
Beasts,  whose  roar  the  forest  shakes ! 

Praise  Him,  ye  of  mortal  race, 
Sharers  of  his  sevenfold  grace  ; 
Gifts  of  mercy,  deeds  of  power, 
Witnessed  by  each  grateful  hour  ! 

Praise  Him,  princes  on  the  throne ; 
Praise  Him,  tribes  of  every  zone  ! 
Join,  O  Earth  !  thy  loftiest  hymn 
To  the  chant  of  Cherubim  ! 

\Exeunt  Omnes. 


IOTES   TO    ELIJAH. 


(1.)     The  sacred  car  of  ivory  and  gold. 

Compare  the  description  of  Solomon's  chariot,  Song,  iii.  10. 
See  also  Xenophon's  account  of  the  white  chariot  and  horses  of 
the  Sun,  Cyrop.  bk.  8,  c.  xix.,  and  the  similar  account  of  Herod- 
otus, bk.  8,  c.  lv. ;  and  2  Kings  xxiii.  11. 

(2.)     Hie  Virgins  of  the  Sun  thou  dost  perceive. 

The  attaching  of  women  as  part  of  the  corps  of  the  temple 
has  always  been  common  in  idolatrous  countries.  The  Vestal 
Virgins  of  the  Romans  were  indeed  bound  by  solemn  vows  to  a 
life  of  chastity,  and  were  buried  alive  if  detected  in  a  trans- 
gression. They  were  released  from  their  vows  at  thirty  years 
of  age,  and  permitted  to  marry.  Their  office  was  to  tend  the 
perpetual  fire,  day  and  night.  "  Esta,"  says  Chevalier  Ramsay, 
"  is  a  Chaldee  word  which  signifies  fire,  and  from  thence  comes 
the  Greek  word  Estia.  The  Romans  added  V  to  it,  and  made  it 
Vesta,  as  of  Espera  they  made  Vespera." — Travels  of  Cyrus,  p. 
29,  note.  But  of  the  Dancing-girls  who  are  found  attached  to 
every  Hindoo  temple,  it  is  no  calumny  to  say  that  they  are  any 
thing  but  Vestal  Virgins.  "  The  first  in  rank  are  the  sacrificers, 
whose  duties  are  numerous  and  daily.  Xext  in  importance  are 
the  Devadassi  or  handmaids  of  the  gods  ;  they  have  the  charge 
of  the  sacred  lamps,  and  generally  are  concubines  to  the  Brah- 
mins, and,  in  fact,  low  and  abandoned  in  their  morals.  They 
dance  and  sing  the  impure  songs  in  which  the  licentious  actions 
of  their  gods  are  celebrated.     These  persons  are  sometimes  ded- 


72  NOTES      TO      ELIJAH. 

icated  to  this  life  by  their  parents,  and  are  not  considered  as 
reflecting  any  disgrace  on  the  family  to  which  they  belong. 
They  are  the  only  females  who  learn  to  read,  to  sing,  and  to 
dance.  Such  accomplishments  are  held  in  abhorrence  by  all  the 
virtuous  matrons  of  India." — Mai te-B run's  Univ.  Geogr.  ii.  243. 
The  priestesses  of  Venus  in  Corinth  were  cf  a  like  character. 
The  famous  Lais  was  of  the  number. 

It  would  seem  that  the  worship  of  the  groves  among  the 
Syrians,  and  imitated  by  the  Jews,  had  the  same  adjuncts. 
Josiah,  among  his  other  reforms,  "  brake  down  the  houses  of 
consecrated  persons,  hakkedeshim  (the  term  is  applied  in  the 
Scriptures  only  to  the  vilest  individuals),  that  were  by  the  house 
of  the  Lord,  where  the  women  wove  hangings  for  the  grove." 
These  women  were  employed  to  make  rich  and  costly  garments 
for  the  shrine,  or  to  dress  the  image  itself ;  unless  we  take  the 
word  "  hangings,"  with  Michaelis,  to  mean  curtains  or  tents  for 
the  concealment  of  the  worshippers.  In  the  Iliad,  Hecuba  is  ad- 
vised by  Hector  to  select  her  finest  peplum,  as  a  present  -to  pro- 
pitiate Minerva. — Iliad,  vi.  271. 

"  The  largest  mantle  your  full  wardrobes  hold, 
Most  priz'd  for  art,  and  labor'd  o'er  with  gold, 
Before  the  Goddess'  honor' d  knees  be  spread." 

(3.)     They  the  Chemarim  are. 

The  passage  in  2  Kings  xxiii.  4-14,  already  alluded  to,  is 
rich  in  suggestions.  "  The  idolatrous  priests  whom  the  kings  of 
Judah  had  appointed  to  burn  incense  in  the  high  places,"  and 
who  seem  to  be  different  from  the  priests  of  Baal  (for  it  is 
added,  u  them  also  that  burned  incense  unto  Baal,  to  the  sun, 
and  to  the  moon,  and  to  the  planets,  and  to  all  the  host  of 
heaven"),  are  in  the  original  called  Chemarim,  so  called  accord- 
ing to  Kimchi,  because  they  wore  black  clothes.  This  was  a  re- 
markable contrast,  for  the  priests  of  Jehovah  were  required  to 
wear  white  linen.  These  priests,  from  the  circumstance  of  being 
robed  in  black,  may  be  supposed  to  be  dedicated  to  the  infernal 
powers. 

The  Casdim  are  Chaldeans.  The  name  of  the  nation  became 
appropriated  to  that  class  who  dealt  in  occult  studies,  as  we  call 


NOTES     TO     ELIJAH.  73 

a  fortune-teller  a  Gipsy,  and  the  French,  a  Bohemian.  The 
whole  people  seem  to  have  had  a  passion  for  astrological  studies, 
fostered  by  the  tower  of  Belus,  and  the  observatory  on  which 
Callisthenes  found  observations  recorded  for  1903  years,  till 
within  fifteen  years  of  the  time  when  the  tower  was  built. 
Prideaux'  Conn.  i.  123.  Curtius  narrates  that  "  Chaldcei  Vates" 
warned  Alexander  not  to  enter  Babylon  at  his  peril.  "  Chaldaei, 
non  ex  artis,  sed  ex  gentis,  vocabulo  nominati,  predicere  dicun- 
tur,  quoquisque  fate  natus  esset." — Cic.  de  Divin.  i. 

The  Chartummbn  are  the  "magicians"  of  Daniel  ii.  2.  The 
word  denotes  sacred  scribes  ;  they  were  perhaps  students  of  the 
secrets  of  nature,  including  the  idea  of  genethliacs,  or  casters 
of  nativities.  In  Daniel  the  nice  distinctions  between  the  va- 
rious, grades  of  magicians,  astrologers  {ashaphim,  whence  the 
sophoi  of  the  Greeks),  sorcerers,  and  Chaldeans,  may  be  traced 
to  advantage  by  the  critical  student.     See  Poll  Synopsis,  in  loc. 

(4.)     Tlie  Prophets  of  the  Grove,  full  twenty  score, 
Are  absent. 

The  absence  of  the  prophets  of  the  Grove,  who  were  par- 
ticularly embraced  in  the  challenge  of  Elijah,  is  worth  noticing. 
The  reason  of  their  absence  must  be  left  entirely  to  conjecture. 
Perhaps,  as  they  were  a  sort  of  domestic  chaplains  of  the  queen, 
"  which  eat  at  Jezebel's  table,"  and'so  were  under  her  special 
patronage,  they  were  not  subject  to  Ahab's  direct  orders  ;  or 
Jezebel  may  have  detained  them  from  prudential  considerations : 
or  some  punctilio  of  etiquette  or  precedence  may  have  kept 
them  from  joining  with  the  priests  of  Baal. 

The  word  Asherah,  translated  Grove,  is  capable  of  being 
rendered  Astarte ;  and  this  rendering  is  preferred  by  Theodoret 
and  Selden,  De  Dis  Syris,  2,  c.  ii.  p.  232.  As  early  as  the  time 
of  Solomon  the  worship  of  "  Ashtoreth  the  abomination  of  the 
Zidonians,"  had  been  introduced.  When  Ahab  married  his 
Zidonian  wife,  to  gratify  her  he  not  only  "  raised  an  altar  for 
Baal  in  the  house  of  Baal,  which  he  had  built  in  Samaria,"  but 
he  "  made  a  grove,"  or  rather,  he  made  an  image  of  Ashtoreth 
or  Astarte,  his  wife's  goddess,  conveniently  near.  1  Kings  xvi.  33. 
4 


74  NO  T  E  8     T  0      ELIJ  A  II. 

(5.)     The  Syrian  Goddess. 

The  principal  authority  to  be  consulted  in  regard  to  the 
mythology  of  the  Syrians,  is  Lucian,  the  eminent  sophist  and 
satirist.  Being  a  native  of  Samosata,  a  city  of  Syria,  not  far 
from  the  Euphrates,  although  of  Greek  ancestry,  he  was  in  the 
habit  of  calling  himself  a  Syrian  or  Assyrian.  He  flourished  in 
the  reign  of  Trajan,  and  of  course  is  incompetent  to  testify  of 
what  passed  a  thousand  years  before  ;  and  his  derivation  of  the 
Eunuch-priests  called  GalH  from  the  story  of  Combabus  and 
Stratonice,  wife  first  of  Seleucus  and  afterward  of  Antiochus, 
shows  a  date  six  hundred  years  later  than  the  time  of  Ahab. 
Still  it  cannot  be  doubted  that  some  of  the  traditions  which  he 
cited  may  be  depended  on,  and  particularly  the  account  of  the 
Syrian  buildings,  deities,  and  worship.  Such  an  account  he 
undertook  to  give  in  a  dissertation  "  concerning  the  Syrian 
Goddess."  From  this  treatise,  which  is  known  only  to  scholars, 
two  or  three  extracts  may  be  acceptable.  It  is  worthy  of  note 
that  Lucian  explicitly  affirms  that  the  Assyrians  borrowed  from 
the  Egyptians  their  traditions  concerning  the  gods. 

"  There  is  also  another  great  temple  in  Phoenicia,  held  by 
the  Sidonians,  which  they  say  was  erected  to  Astarte  ;  by  which 
Astarte,  I  suppose,  they  mean  the  Moon  :  however,  one  of  the 
priests  told  me,  that  it  belonged  to  Europa,  the  sister  of  Cad- 
mus  I  saw  likewise  a  temple  in  Byblis,  dedicated 

to  Venus  [Aphrodite]  Byblia,  wherein  they  perform  sacred  rites 
to  Adonis,  and  I  was  instructed  in  the  same.  They  relate,  that 
the  misfortune  of  Adonis,  who  was  slain  by  a  boar,  happened 
in  their  country;  and,  in  memory  thereof,  whip  themselves 
every  year,  mourning,  and  performing  many  ceremonies  ;  at 
which  time  great  lamentation  is  made  by  them  over  ail  the  coun- 
try ;  but,  when  they  have  done  whipping  themselves  and  lament- 
ing, in  the  first  place,  they  offer  up  funeral  sacrifices  to  Adonis, 
as  being  dead  ;  but  then,  on  the  morrow  after,  they  feign  he  is 
restored  to  life  again,  and  ascended  up  through  the  air  into 
heaven,  when  they  shave  their  heads,  as  the  custom  of  the 
Egyptians  is  upon  the  death  of  Apis;  but  for  those  women  that 
will  not  have  their  heads  shaved,  this  is  the  penalty  inflicted  on 
them  ;  they  are  to  stand  one  whole  day,  and  expose  their  bodies 


NOTES      TO      ELIJAH.  7o 

to  sale  only  to  strangers;  and  the  money  that  they  get  by  so 
doing,  is  offered  up  as  a  present  to  Venus.  But  there  are  some 
of  the  Byblians  who  say,  that  Osiris  the  Egyptian  was  buried 
amongst  them,  and  that  all  their  lamentation  and  solemnity  is 
performed,  not  in  honor  of  Adonis,  but  Osiris  ;  in  confirmation 
whereof  they  tell  you  this  story,  which  makes  it  the  more 
probable.  They  say  a  head  is  brought  every  year  from  Egypt 
to  Byblis,  over  the  sea,  in  the  space  of  seven  days,  the  winds 
carrying  it  with  such  a  divine  gale,  that  it  turneth  neither  to  the 
one  side  nor  to  the  other,  but  comes  in  a  straight  passage  di- 
rectly to  Byblis  ;  which,  though  it  may  seem  miraculous,  happens 
every  year,  and  did  the  same  when  I  was  there  ;  by  which  means 
I  myself  had  a  sight  of  the  Byblian  head." — Drydcns  Lucian, 
vol.  I.  242. 

By  Astarte  Lucian  understood  the  Moon.  Ashteroth,  says 
Selden,  is  Astarte  in  the  LXX.,  and  in  the  Alexandrine  Chroni- 
cle, Eustarte.  Rabbi  David  derives  it  from  a  word  signifying 
sheep,  as  if  from  the  number  of  offerings.  Philastrius  thinks 
Asthar  the  name  of  a  man.  Ashtoreth  was  a  city  in  the  king- 
dom of  Bashan,  Josh.  xii.  4.  Whether  the  city  was  called  from 
the  goddess,  or  the  goddess  from  a  city,  is  uncertain.  The  Phil- 
istines put  Saul's  armor  in  the  house  of  Ashtaroth.  The  word 
is  frequently  rendered  grove.  As  groves,  like  mountains,  were 
favorite  places  of  worship,  may  there  not  have  been  many  god- 
desses worshipped  under  this  name,  as  Jupiter  Endendros  of  the 
Rhodians,  and  Diana  Xemorosa  ? 

But  it  is  an  objection  to  the  translation,  grove  (though  it  has 
the  sanction  of  Josephus),  that  it  is  a  sense  sometimes  inconsist- 
ent with  the  connection  ;  thus:  "They  set  them  up  images  and 
groves  in  every  high  hill,  and  under  every  green  tree."  2  Kings 
xvii.  10.  Surely  they  did  not  erect  groves  in  groves,  or  a  tree 
under  a  tree.  Manasseh  placed  in  the  temple  "  a  graven  image 
of  a  grove,  Ascrah"  2  Kings  xxi.  7.  This  is  said  in  close  con- 
nection with  his  rearing  up  altars  for  Baal,  and  all  the  host  of 
heaven.  It  was  from  the  Sidonians  that  Ahab  borrowed  the 
chief  deities  Baal  and  Ashtoreth.  But  in  the  Sidonian  or  Syrian 
mythology,  there  is  no  other  deity  besides  Ashtoreth  or  Astarte, 
("Ashtoreth,  the  goddess  of  the  Zidonians,"  1  Kings  xi.  5),  the 


70  X  O  T  E  S      TO       E  L  I  J  A  II . 

Moon,  called  by  such  names  as  Asaroth,  Asarim,  or  Asarah,  nor 
is  there  any  evidence  of  such  a  tiling  as  a  grove  being  worship- 
ped under  this  name.  The  image  might  have  been  made  of 
wood,  and  so  have  given  rise  to  the  ambiguity;  as  Jcsiah  burnt 
Bfanasseh's  image,  and  Gideon  cut  clown  the  grove,  or  image, 
upon  the  altar.  Wooden  images,  covered  with  gold,  are  men- 
tioned by  Isaiah  and  Jeremiah. 

To  return  to  Astarte : — this  goddess  is  said  to  have  borne,  as 
the  symbol  of  dominion,  an  ox's  head,  the  horns  of  which  indi- 
cated beams  of  light.  A  star,  supposed  to  have  fallen  from 
heaven,  was  dedicated  to  her  in  Tyre.  Cicero  describes  four 
goddesses  who  bore  the  same  name,  Juno,  Venus,  the  Moon,  and 
the  mistress  of  Adonis.  Chevalier  Ramsay  identifies  the  latter 
with  Urania,  the  queen  of  stars,  degraded  to  earth.  Trav.  of 
Cyrus,  p.  185.  Jahn  coincides  in  the  opinion  that  Astarte  was 
the  Moon.  Archaeol.  §  409.  According  to  Augustine,  she  was 
Juno.  According  to  Euripides,  she  was  Io.  There  can  be  no 
doubt,  that  as  there  were  many  Junos  and  Yenuses,  so  there  were 
many  Astartes.  Selden  is  in  doubt  whether  Astarte  is  the  same 
as  Beltis  or  Baaltis.  But. as  the  Sun  is  the  king  of  heaven,  the 
Moon  may  appropriately  be  styled  the  queen  of  heaven. — Syn- 
tagma,, II.  p.  15S. 

Layard  identifies  her  with  Hera,  or  the  Assyrian  Venus  ;  and 
adds,  that  the  monuments  hitherto  discovered  present  no  cor- 
roboration of  the  infamous  law  which,  according  to  Herodotus, 
marked  her  rites  at  Babylon.  u  She  was  '  the  Queen  of  Heaven ' 
frequently  alluded  to  in  the  sacred  volumes.  Diodorus  mentions 
the  vases  which  were  placed  on  tables  in  the  Babylonian  tem- 
ple ;  the  prophet  describes  the  drink-offerings  to  her;  and  in 
the  sculptures,  the  king  is  constantly  represented  with  a  cup  in 
one  hand,  in  the  act  of  performing  some  religious  ceremony. 
The  planet  which  bore  her  name,  was  sacred  to  her,  and,  in  the 
Assyrian  sculptures,  a  star  Is  placed  upon  her  head.  She  was 
called  Beltis,  becar.se  she  was  the  female  form  of  the  great  di- 
vinity, or  Baal  ;  the  two,  there  is  reason  to  conjecture,  having 
been  originally  but  one,  and  androgyne.  Her  worship  penetrat- 
ed from  Assyria  into  Asia  Minor,  where  its  Assyrian  origin  was 
recognized.     In  the  rock  tablets  of  Pterium  she  is  represented, 


NOTES     TO      ELIJAH.  77 

as  in  those  of  Assyria,  standing  erect  on  a  lion,  and  crowned 
with  a  tower,  or  mural  coronet,  which,  we  learn  from  Lucian, 
was  peculiar  to  the  Semitic  figure  of  the  goddess.  This  may 
have  been  a  modification  of  the  high  cap  of  the  Assyrian  bas- 
reliefs.  To  the  Shemites  she  was  known  under  the  names  of  As- 
tarte,  Ashtaroth,  Mylitta,  and  Alitta,  according  to  the  various 
dialects  of  the"  nations  amongst  which  her  worship  prevailed. 
.  .  .  It  has  been  conjectured  that  this  name  [Astarte]  was 
derived  from  the  wrord  'star'  in  the  primitive  Indo-European 
languages,  from  whence,  it  is  well  known,  came  the  Persian  fe- 
male name  Satara,  the  daughter  of  Darius,  and  that  of  the  bibli- 
cal Esther.  .  .  .  This  custom  of  placing  the  figure  of  a  star 
upon  the  heads  of  idols  is  probably  alluded  to  by  the  prophet. 
'The  star  of  your  god,  w^hich  ye  made  to  yourselves.'  Amos 
V.  26."— Layard's  Nineveh,  vol.  II.  pp.  3-16,  347. 

(6.)  Samaria's  Temple- Palace. 

It  is  said  of  Ahab  that  after  marrying  Jezebel,  the  Sidonian, 
"he  went  and  served  Baal,  and  worshipped  him.  And  he  reared 
up  an  altar  for  Baal  in  the  house  of  Baal,  which  he  had  built  in 
Samaria.     And  Ahab  made  a  grove." — 1  Kings  xvi.  32. 

The  Egyptians  joined  the  palace  and  the  temple  together, 
thus  surrounding  the  royal  throne  with  the  prestige  of  divine 
sanctity.  The  Assyrian  custom  seems  to  have  been  similar,  at 
least  no  separate  temples  have  yet  been  found  among  the  exhu- 
mations. "  As  in  Egypt,  he  [the  king]  may  have  been  regarded 
as  the  representative,  on  earth,  of  the  deity  ;  receiving  his  power 
directly  from  the  gods,  and  the  organ  of  communication  between 
them  and  his  subjects.  All  the  edifices  hitherto  discovered  in 
Assyria,  have  precisely  the  same  character  ;  co  that  we  have 
most  probably  the  palace  and  temple  combined  :  for  in  them  the 
deeds  of  the  king  and  of  the  nation,  are  united  with  religious 
symbols,  and  with  the  statues  of  the  gods." — Layard's  Nineveh, 
vol.  II.  p.  211. 

Lucian's  description  of  the  great  Phoenician  temple  of  the 
Syrian  goddess  at  Byblis,  is  as  follows  : 

"  The  place  itself,  you  must  know,  whereon  the  temple  stand- 
eth,  is  the  knoll  of  an  hill,  lying  about  the  middle 'of  the  city, 


79  NOTES      TO      ELIJAH. 

and  hath  a  double  wall  encompassing  it  round;  of  which  walls 
the  one  is  ancient,  and  the  other  not  much  older  than  the  ago 
we  live  in.  But  the  porch  of  the  temple  lieth  towards  the  north, 
in  circumference  about  one  hundred  fathoms,  wherein  the  Pria- 
[cpaWoi]  stand,  whom  Bacchus  dedicated,  being  three 
hundred  cubits  high,  into  one  of  which  a  man  getteth  up  every 
year  twice,  and  dwclleth  seven  days  together  at  the  top  of  the 
Phallus  [to  pray  nearer  the  gods].  ...  As  for  the  temple, 
it  looks  towards  the  sun-rising,  but  its  form  and  workmanship  is 
after  the  same  manner  as  the  temples  in  Ionia.  There  stands  a 
great  basis  of  about  two  fathoms  in  height,  whereon  the  tower  is 
erected,  to  the  which  you  go  up  by  stone  steps ;  and  when  you 
are  once  ascended,  the  porch  before  the  temple  is  very  admira- 
ble and  delightful  to  the  view,  being  adorned  not  only  with 
golden  doors,  but  the  whole  temple  glistering  exceedingly  with 
gold,  and  the  roof  covered  with  the  same  ;  from  whence  you 
may  perceive  a  divine  fragrant  scent,  equal  to  the  best  odors  in 
Arabia.  Being  ascended  a  great  height,  it  emits  a  most  pleasant 
smell,  and  the  same  likewise  when  you  descend,  insomuch  that 
your  garments  for  a  long  time  after  retain  the  scent,  and  you  your- 
self cannot  but  always  remember  it.  Within  the  chapel  there  is  a 
temple  [fraAa^uos]  with  a  small  ascent  to  it ;  it  hath  no  doors,  but 
lieth  always  open.  Now  all  enter  into  the  great  temple,  but 
only  the  priests  into  the  chapel ;  yet  not  all  of  them  either,  but 
swell  only  as  are  nearest  related  to  the  gods,  and  devote  their 
whole  lives  to  the  service  of  the  temple.  Herein  are  placed  the 
statues  of  the  gods,  as  Juno  and  Jupiter,  whom  they  call  by 
another  name,  of  their  own  denomination.  Both  are  of  gold, 
and  arc  made  both  sitting,  but  Juno  is  carried  by  lions,  and  Ju- 
piter by  bulls.  ...  I  formerly  mentioned,  on  the  left  hand, 
as  you  enter  into  the  temple,  there  stands  first  the  throne  of  the 
sun,  but  without  any  image  of  the  sun  itself;  for  the  sun  and 
moon  only  have  no  statues  amongst  them,  and,  as  T  understand, 
the  ground  thereof  was  this  :  they  say,  that  it  is  a  holy  thing  to 
erect  statues  to  other  gods,  inasmuch  as  their  forms  arc  not 
manifest  to  ua  ;  but  the  sun  and  moon  arc  evidently  seen  by  all, 
whercfore^t  would  be  unnecessary  to  make  the  images  of  what 
wc  daily  behold  in  the  air.     After  this  throne  is  placed  the  statue 


NOTES      TO      ELIJAH.  79 

of  Apollo,  .  .  .  with  a  long  beard.  .  .  .  Whensoever 
he  hath  a  mind  to  give  answer,  he  first  of  all  moveth  himself  in 
the  seat,  ...  if  the  thing  proposed  displeases  him,  he  re- 
tires backward  ;  but  if  he  approves  of  it,  he  then  drives  and  hur- 
ries on  his  supporters  forwards,  as  a  coachman  drives  his  horses ; 
and  in  this  manner  they  collect  his  answers.  ...  I  will  here 
also  acquaint  you  with  another  thing,  that  happened  while  I  was 
present.  The  priests,  having  lifted  him  up,  throwing  them  down 
he  quitted  their  shoulders,  and  walked  himself  in  the  air.  Now 
after  Apollo,  the  next  is,  the  statue  of  Atlas,  then  Mercury,  and 
then  of  Lucina ;  which  is  the  side-furniture  of  the  temple:  but 
without  there  standeth  a  great  altar  made  of  brass,  besides  a 
thousand  other  brazen  statues  of  kings  and  priests." — Dryden's 
Lucian,  vol.  I.  p.  259-2G5. 

For  a  description  of  the  Temple  of  the  Sun  in  Cuzco,  the  city 
of  the  Incas,  the  reader  is  referred  to  Frescott's  History  of  Peru. 
A  brief  and  graphic  account  of  it  is  presented  from  the  pen  of  an 
English  traveller  :  "  Where  now  stands  the  church  of  San  Do- 
mingo, then  rose  that  glorious  fane,  the  Temple  of  the  Sun,  with 
its  grand  central  door,  and  massive  cornice  of  pure  gold.  The 
interior  was  decorated  with  a  magnificence  suited  to  the  holy 
uses  to  which  it  was  dedicated.  A  large  golden  sun,  studded 
with  emeralds  and  turquoises,  covered  the  side  facing  the  door ; 
a  sacred  flame  constantly  burned  before  the  representative  of 
the  deity;  and  vases  of  gold,  a  metal  which  the  Incas  believed 
to  be  '  the  tears  shed  by  the  sun,'  stood,  filled  with  sacrificial 
first  fruits,  on  the  floor  of  the  temple.  The  other  sides  of  the 
Yntip-pampa  were  occupied  by  massive  stone  temples  dedicated 
to  Quilla,  or  the  moon,  in  which  all  the  utensils  were  of  silver ; 
to  Covllur-cuna,  or  the  hosts  of  heaven ;  to  Chasca,  the  planet 
Yenus,  called  '  the  youth  with  flowing  golden  locks ; '  to  Ccuicha, 
or  the  rainbow;  and  to  Yllapa,  or  thunder  and  lightning.  .  .  . 
The  convent  of  the  virgins  of  the  Sun,  called  the  aclla-huasi,  was 
situated  near  the  Yntip-pampa.1' — Markham's  Cuzco,  pp.  120, 123. 

(7.)  Tltelr  silver  helms  with  dUc  and  crescent  topped. 
Osburn,  from  a  careful  study  of  the  wall-paintings  of  Egypt, 
has  been  enabled  to  reproduce  a  very  satisfactory  description  of 


80  NOTES     TO     ELIJAH. 

the  Sidoniiw  warriors.  lie  says  the  Sidonians,  "in  personal  ap- 
pearance, were  a  line  muscular  race.  Their  features  resembled 
those  of  the  Arvadites  and  Tyrians.  Their  statesmen  and  mer- 
chants wore  the  hair  and  beard  long  with  the  fillet  round  the 
head.  Their  warriors  cut  the  hair,  beard,  and  whiskers  short. 
Their  arms  and  accoutrements  were  worthy  of  the  fame  and 
riches  of  their  great  city.  The  helmet  was  of  silver,  with  a  sin- 
gular ornament  at  the  crown,  consisting  of  a  disc  and  two  horns 
of  a  heifer  or  of  the  crescent  moon.  This  symbol  is  not  at  all 
like  any  thing  worn  in  Egypt,  but  strikingly  resembles  the  horns 
of  Astartc,  on  the  coins  and  medals  of  Phoenicia.  This  disc  was 
the  badge  of  a  prince.  Inferior  ranks  were  denoted  by  the  two 
horns  only.  The  armor  consisted  of  plates  of  some  white  metal, 
probably  silver,  quilted  upon  a  white  linen  garment,  which  was 
laced  in  front  and  reached  up  to  the  armpits,  being  supported  by 
shoulder-straps.  The  shield  was  large  and  circular,  like  that  of 
the  Philistines.  It  was  of  iron  rimmed  with  gold  and  ornament- 
ed with  golden  studs  or  bosses.  The  sword,  which  was  of 
bronze,  was  two-edged,  and  shaped  like  the  modern  poniard. 
The  spear  was  a  long  lance." — Osburn's  Ancient  Egypt,  p.  119. 

(8.)  And  live  queen  Isabel  I 

The  sacred  historian  mentions  it  as  an  aggravation  of  Ahab's 
wickedness,  that  he  took  to  wife  the  daughter  of  Ethbaal,  or 
Ithobal,  king  of  the  Sidonians,  and  with  her  introduced  her 
country's  idols  to  the  Israelites.  Her  name  in  the  original  He- 
brew is  Izcbcl,  in  the  LXX.,  lezebel,  corresponding  nearly  to  our 
modern  Isabel,  and  much  more  euphonious  than  the  name  Jeze- 
bel ;  in  which  the  /  is  hardened  by  Anglo-Saxon  usage  into  /. 
According  to  Eollin,  the  Tyrian  princess  Dido  was  the  grand- 
niece  of  Jezebel,  being  great-granddaughter  of  Ithobal,  or  Eth- 
baal, called  by  Joseph  us  king  of  both  Tyre  and  Sidon.  There  is 
nothing  in  the  chronology  to  conflict  with  the  opinion. 

It  will  be  perceived,  that  while  I  have  (with  Krummacher) 
depicted  Ahab  as  an  easy,  weak,  capricious  monarch,  addicted 
to  sensual  pleasures,  but  not  naturally  either  ambitious  or  cruel; 
I  have  represented  Jezebel  as  a  beautiful,  fascinating,  accom- 
plished,  ambitious,  and  unscrupulous  woman,  just  such  as  were 


NOTES     TO     ELIJAH.  81 

Cleopatra,  Catharine  of  Guise,  Mary,  queen  of  Scots,  and  Lady 
Macbeth.  That  with  her  great  administrative  qualities  she  had 
Queen  Elizabeth's  personal  vanity  is  inferrible  from  her  painting 
her  face  and  tiring  her  head  when  about  to  present  herself  be- 
fore Jehu. 

(9.)  Of  CarmeVs  well-poised  mount.     Garden  of  God  ! 

The  most  satisfactory  description  of  Mount  Carmel  is  to  be 
found  in  Stanley's  u  Sinai  and  Palestine."  According  to  this 
writer,  the  mountains  of  Palestine  are  generally  bare  and  rugged. 
Mount  Carmel  is  one  of  the  rare  exceptions,  being  covered  with 
verdure  to  its  very  summit.  It  is  this  feature  which  gave  it  its 
name,  Carm-El,  "the  Garden  of  God."  It  owes  its  distinction 
to  its  beauty  rather  than  its  loftiness  ;  for  it  is  nowhere  higher 
than  1,700  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  It  is  a  long  mountain 
range,  extending  eighteen  miles  from  the  interior,  and  terminat- 
ing in  a  bluff  promontory.  This  promontory,  which,  from  its  his- 
torical associations,  has  monopolized  the  name,  boldly  overlooks 
the  Levant,  opposite  Acre  (the  old  Accho);  and  is  surrounded 
by  a  broad  beach,  easily  traversed  by  the  successive  armies  of 
the  Philistines,  Egyptians,  and  Crusaders.  The  bay,  bounded 
by  Carmel  on  the  south  and  by  the  hills  of  Galilee  on  the  north, 
forms  the  embouchure  of  the  great  plain,  or  battle-field  of  Es- 
draelon. 

The  commanding  position  of  the  promontory  is  alluded  to  by 
Jeremiah:  "Surely  as  Tabor  is  among  the  mountains,  and  as 
Carmel  is  by  the  sea,  so  shall  the  king  of  Babylon  come."  Jer. 
xxvi.  18.  The  luxuriance  and  fertility  of  the  mountain  are  indi- 
cated in  various  passages  of  Holy  Writ.  Isaiah  celebrates  "  the 
excellency  of  Carmel  and  Sharon."  Isa.  xxxv.  2.  To  an  Isra- 
elite, says  Stanley,  it  seemed  like  a  natural  park ;  it  was  a  type 
and  standard  of  beauty,  and  its  sterility  was  the  consummation 
of  misfortune.  "The  top  of  Carmel  shall  wither."  Amos  i.  2. 
"The  earth  mourneth  and  languisheth  ;  Lebanon  is  ashamed  and 
hewn  down  ;  Sharon  is  like  a  wilderness  ;  and  Bashan  and  Car- 
mel shake  off  their  fruits."  Is?-,  xxxiii.  9.  When  cultivated,  as 
in  the  time  of  Uzziah,  who  had  "vine-dressers"  there  (2  Chron. 
xxvi.  10),  and  adorned  with  vineyards,  groves  of  olives,  and 
4* 


82  NOTES     TO     ELIJAH. 

orchards  of  almond  and  fig-trees,  it  might  well  deserve  its 
name. 

Hence  we  see  the  appropriateness  of  likening  to  it  the  orna- 
ments of  an  Eastern  bride,  "thy  head  upon  thee  is  like  Carmel." 
Solomon's  Song,  vii.  5.  Carne  says  that  no  mountain  in  Pales- 
tine retains  so  much  of  its  ancient  beauty  as  this. — Letters  from 
the  East,  vol.  II.  119.  Van  Bichter  describes  it  as  "entirely 
covered  with  verdure  :  on  its  summit  are  pines  and  oaks;  'and 
farther  down  olives  and  laurel-trees.  Many  odoriferous  flowers, 
as  hyacinths,  jonquilles,  tazettes,  anemones,  &c,  grow  wild  upon 
the  mountain.  From  it  issue  a  multitude  of  brooks  emptying 
into  the  Kishon,  the  largest  of  which  is  the  so-called  fountain  of 
Elijah." — See  Robinson's  Calmet,  Art.  Carmel. 

It  has  been  supposed  that  when  Amos  said,  "  though  they 
hide  themselves  in  the  top  of  Carmel,1'  Amos  ix.  3,  he  meant  the 
caves  or  grottoes,  which  are  numerous  and  intricate ;  in  some 
of  which  Obadiah  may  have  concealed  the  Lord's  prophets, 
("  an  hundred  prophets,  and  hid  them  by  fifty  in  a  cave," 
1  Kings  xviii.  4,)  and  which  were  the  favorite  resort  of  both 
Elijah  and  Elisha.  But  we  are  assured,  that  there  are  no  caves 
in  the  summit,  though  there  arc  very  large  ones  under  the 
western  cliffs.  Hence  the  language  of  the  prophet  must  be  re- 
ferred to  the  thick  vegetation,  which  would  furnish  a  sufficient 
screen. — Mission  of  Inq.  to  the  Jews,  p.  235.  Sinai  and  Pal. 
p.  345. 

The  view,  in  every  direction  from  the  top  of  the  mountain, 
is  magnificent.  "  Mount  Carmel,"  says  Lamartine,  "  begins  to 
rise,  at  some  minutes'  walk  from  Kaipha.  We  climbed  it,  by  a 
tolerably  good  road,  cut  in  the  rock,  on  the  very  edge  of  the 
promontory  ;  every  step  we  ascended  discovered  to  us  a  new 
prospect  of  -the  sea,  of  the  hills  of  Palestine,  and  the  borders 
of  Idumea."— Pilgr.  to  the  Holy  Land,  vol.  I.  200.  The  view 
takes  in  the  plain  of  Esdraclon,  the  winding  Kishon,  the  site  of 
Jezreel,  and  Samaria,  with  Mount  Tabor  and  Great  Hermon, 
which  Lieut.  Lynch  saw  covered  with  snow  in  June.  —  See 
Official  Report,  ito,  p.  116. 

The  geological  character  of  the  mountains  of  Syria  was 
carefully  examined  by  Dr.  Anderson,  who  accompanied  Lynch's 


NOTES     TO     ELIJAH.  83 

exploring  party.  They  are  of  secondary  and  later  limestones, 
with  basaltic  and  tertiary  interruptions,  onco  covered  by  the 
waters  of  the  great  Jurassic  Ocean.  A  few  miles  from  the  con- 
vent on  Mt.  Carmel,  are  found  remarkable  petrifactions  known 
as  "Elijah's  melons,"  said  by  the  legends  to  be  fruit  turned  into 
stone  by  the  prophet,  to  punish  the  refusal  of  the  owner  to  sup- 
ply his  wants.  These  quartz  nodules,  pebbles,  or  "  turVs-heads" 
are  round  and  smooth,  and  were  used  by  Djezzar  Pasha  for 
cannon  balls. — Stanley,  p.  153.     Lyncli's  Off.  Rept.  p.  95. 

The  botanical  features  of  Mt.  Carmel  were  observed  by  Dr. 
Griffith.  Ho  noticed  the  following  specimens  :  Ranunculacece  ; 
Adonis  autumnalis,  common  from  Mt.  Carmel  and  Nazareth  to 
the  sources  of  Jordan,  with  varieties  in  the  tints.  Jfahacece ; 
Lavatera  thuringiniana,  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain.  Fabacece ; 
Genista  monosperma,  the  Rotem  of  the  Arabs,  and  Juniper  of 
the  Bible,  its  roots  unfit  for  food.  (But  Bonar  insists  that  it  is 
broom.  Desert  of  Sinai,  p.  389.)  Astcracece;  Helychrysum 
Orientale.  Solanacece ;  Mandragora  autumnalis,  or  mandrake, 
Jiabora  of  the  Arabs,  the  Dudaim  of  Genesis,  and  still  valued 
for  supposed  aphrodisiac  powers. — Liliacece ;  Asphodelus  ra- 
mosus,  or  Asphodel. — Off.  Rept.  pp.  59-!  7. 

Dr.  Thomas  Scott  has  supposed,  and  Dr.  Robinson  seems  to 
f ivor  the  opinion,  that  the  assembling  of  the  priests  took  place 
at  the  base  of  the  mountain.  The  commonly  received  opinion 
is  that  it  occurred  upon  the  summit,  and  the  description  may 
be  explained  in  accordance  with  this  belief.  There  had  been  an 
ancient  altar  there,  1  Kings  xviii.  30  ;  xix.  10,  which  Elijah  re- 
paired ;  and  it  is  not  probable  that  an  altar  would  have  been 
erected  except  on  the  summit,  in  conformity  with  the  prevalent 
passion  for  "high  places.  It  is. said  also  that  Elijah  brought 
the  prophets  of  Baal  "  down  to  the  brook  Kishon,  and  slew 
them  there."  He  bade  Ahab  prepare  his  chariot,  and  get  him 
down.  When  it  is  afterward  said,  that  "  Elijah  went  up  to  the 
top  of  Carmel,"  this  may  easily  be  understood  either  of  his  re- 
turning thither  after  the  slaughter  at  Kishon,  or  of  his  going  to 
a  higher  eminence  than  was  occupied  by  king  Ahab. 

Mr.  Stanley's  views  on  this  point  are  worthy  of  notice.  He 
anrucs  that  the  scene  of  the  sacrifice  could  never  have  been  the 


84  N  0  T  i:  s     T  0     E  LIJAH. 

spot  occupied  by  the  modern  convent,  but  one  more  remote, 
according  to  tradition.  "  But  be  the  tradition  good  or  bad,  the 
localities  adapt  themselves  to  the  event  in  almost  every  particu- 
lar. The  summit  thus  marked  out  is  the  extreme  eastern  point 
of  the  range,  commanding  the  last  view  of  the  sea  behind,  and 
the  first  view  of  the  great  plain  in  front,  just  where  the  glades 
of  forest,  the  '  excellency  of  Carmel '  sink  into  the  usual  barren- 
ness of  the  hills  and  vales  of  Palestine.  There  on  the  highest 
point  of  the  mountain,  may  well  have  stood,  on  its  sacred 
1  high  place,'  the  altar  of  the  Lord,  which  Jezebel,  had  cast  down. 
(The  rocky  fragments  lying  around,  would  naturally  afford  the 
materials  for  the  '  twelve  stones  '  of  which  the  natural  altar  was 
built.)  Close  beneath,  on  a  wide  upland  sweep,  under  the  shade 
of  ancient  olives,  and  round  a  well  of  water,  said  to  be  peren- 
nial— and  which  may,  therefore,  have  escaped  the  general  drought, 
and  have  been  able  to  furnish  water  for  the  trenches  round  the 
altar — must  have  been  ranged,  on  the  one  side  the  king  and 
people,  with  the  850  prophets  of  Baal  and  Astarte,  and  on  the 
other  side  the  solitary  and  commanding  figure  of  the  Prophet 
of  the  Lord.  Full  before  them  opened  the  whole  plain  of 
Esdraelon,  with  Tabor  and  its  kindred  ranges  in  the  distance; 
on  the  rising  ground,  at  the  opening  of  its  valley,  the  city  of 
Jezreel,  with  Ahab's  palace  and  Jezebel's  temple  distinctly  visible  ; 
in  the  nearer  foreground,  immediately  under  the  base  of  the  moun- 
tain, was  clearly  seen  the  winding  stream  of  the  Kishon,  working 
its  way  through  the  narrow  pass  of  the  hills  into  the  Bay  of 
Acre.'' — Sinai  and  Pal.  p.  346. 

Dr.  Thomson,  familiar,  as  a  missionary,  with  every  nook 
of  Palestine,  agrees  with  Mr.  Stanley  in  assigning,  as  the  scene 
of  the  sacrifice,  the  traditional  spot  called  El  Mukhrakah,  or  the 
place  of  burning,  near  the  ruined  village  of  El  Mansurah.  In 
the  absence  of  rival  claims,  and  coinciding,  as  it  does,  with 
"the  altar  in  the  open  air,  without  a  temple  or  even  a  statue," 
where,  according  to  Josephus,  Vespasian  offered  sacrifice,  the 
tradition  seems  worthy  of  credit. — See  The  Land  and  the  Book, 
II.  p.  223, 

iln.)     Jjo\  nature'*  prterf,  majestic  Lebanon. 

'•  !. -Million  closes  the  Land  of  Promise  on  the  north,  as  the 


NOTES     TO     ELIJAH.  85 

Peninsula  of  Sinai  on  the  south,  but  with  this  difference,  that 
•Lebanon,  though  beyond  the  boundaries  of  Palestine,  is  almost 
always  within  view.  .  .  .  The  ancient  names  of  its  double 
range  are  all  significant  of  this  position.  It  was  '  Sion,'  'the 
upraised ; '  or  *  Ilermon,'  '  the  lofty  peak,'  or  '  Shenir  '  and  '  Sir- 
ion,'  the  glittering  '  breastplate  of  ice  ;  '  or  above  all,  'Leb- 
anon,' the  '  Mont  Blanc '  of  Palestine ;  '  the  White  Moun- 
tains '  of  ancient  times  ;  the  mountain  of  the  '  Old  White-head- 
ed man,'  or  the  '  Mountain  of  Ice  '  in  modern  times.  So  long 
as  its  snowy  tops  were  seen,  there  was  never  wanting  to  the 
Hebrew  poetry  the  image  of  unearthly  grandeur,  which  nothing 
but  perpetual  snow  can  give.  The  'dews'  of  the  mists  that 
rose  from  its  watery  ravines,  or  of  the  clouds  that  rested  on 
its  summit,  were  perpetual  witnesses  of  freshness  and  coolness, 
the  sources,  as  it  seemed,  of  all  the  moisture,  which  was  to  the 
land  of  Palestine  what  the  fragrant  oil  was  to  the  garments 
of  the  High  Priest ;  what  the  refreshing  influence  of  brotherly 
love  was  to  the  whole  community.  And  deep  within  the  re- 
cesses of  the  mountain,  beneath  its  crest  of  ice  and  snow,  was 
the  sacred  forest  of  cedars,  famous,  even  to  those  who  had  never 
seen  them,  for  their  gigantic  magnificence,  endeared  to  the  heart 
of  the  nation  by  the  treasures  thence  supplied  to  the  Temple 
and  the  Palace  of  Jerusalem." — Stanley's  Sinai  and  Pal.  p.  395. 

(11.)  Chaldean  numbers,  hig  with  coming  fate. 

The  Orientals  have  always  had,  and  still  have,  a  great  passion 
for  divination,  magic,  and  the  interpretation  of  dreams.  Sorti- 
lege was  a  universal  practice.  Auguries  from  birds  were  ob- 
tained by  observing  their  flight,  whether  to  the  right  or  left 
hand,  their  singing,  and  their  eating  or  not  eating.  The  use  of 
arrows  is  alluded  to  in  Ezekiel,  ch.  xxi.  21,  when  the  king  of 
Babylon,  besides  inspecting  images  or  teraphim,  and  inspecting 
the  livers  of  beasts,  is  described  as  also  deciding  on  the  direction 
of  his  march  at  the  parting  of  two  ways,  by  the  use  of  arrows, 
in  Ilebr.  sons  of  the  quiver.  Probably  arrows  inscribed  with 
the  names  of  certain  cities  which  he  proposed  to  attack,  as  Rab- 
bah,  Jerusalem,  &c,  were  placed  in  a  quiver,  and  shaken  to- 
gether, and  the  name  drawn  out  decided  his  movements. 

The   Chaldean,  or  Babylonian   numbers,  were  also  in  high 


8G  X  OT  E  S      T  o      E  L  I  J  A  II. 

repute.  They  were  astrological  calculations.  Horace  warns 
against  their  use  :  "  Xec  Babylonios  tentaris  numeros."  Auso^ 
nius  also  speaks  of  "  coeli  numeros  et  conscia  sidera  fati."  Taci- 
tus denounced  them  under  the  title  of  mathematicians,  "mathc- 
maticos ; "  and  Tiberius  banished  them  from  Rome.  He  was 
careful,  however,  to  discriminate  between  the  calculating  Geneth- 
liacs  and  the  Geometers.  From  Lieut.  Burnes  we  learn  that 
the  Tartars  will  not  start  on  a  journey  till  the  astrologers  have 
pronounced  the  hour  lucky.  The  Chinese  are  grossly  addicted 
to  this  art,  making  use  of  what  are  known  as  the  Eight  Dia- 
grams, invented  by  the  Emperor  Fuh-hi,  more  than  3,000  years 
before  Christ.  These  have  been  multiplied  into  64,  the  mines  of 
wisdom  in  which  have  never  been  explored.  Many  books  have 
been  written  in  explanation,  the  most  noted  of  which  is  a  work 
in  six  volumes.  The  responses  are  obtained  by  studying  the  va- 
rious combinations  of  the  G4  diagrams,  which  are  affected  by  the 
objects  sought,  and  the  meaning  of  the  characters  designating 
the  current  month  and  day.  The  characters  have  also  a  myste- 
rious connection  with  the  five  elements,  metal,  wood,  water,  fire, 
and  earth.  If  the  character  representing  the  day  of  birth  is  con- 
nected with  wood,  and  that  representing  the  month  with  metal, 
the  augury  is  unfortunate,  for  metal  cuts  wood.  But  if  one  of 
the  characters  is  connected  with  water,  the  result  will  be  auspi- 
cious, because  water  promotes  the  growth  of  wood.  The  di- 
viner is  a  shrewd  fellow,  and  by  a  series  of  astute  questions, 
finds  out  how  to  adapt  his  answers  to  his  questioner.  Then  the 
events  of  a  man's  life  are  under  the  influences  of  28  stars,  each 
of  which  is  an  object  of  worship.  They  are  traced  on  the  pe- 
riphery of  the  horoscope,  and  with  the  aid  of  the  eight  diagrams, 
determine  the  fortunes  of  the  year,  the  month,  or  the  day.  The 
expense  of  these  calculations  sometimes  amounts  to  several  dol- 
lars.— See  Xcvius's  Letters  on  the  Religion  and  Superstitions  of 
China,  Lett,  xiii,     (Home  and  For.  Record,  Oct.  1858.) 

(12.)  linn, id  and  round  in  mystic  ring, 
Choir  of  planets  symbolling. 

Pope's  lines  will  readily  recur  to  mind, 

•  As  eastern  prieste  in  giddy  circles  run, 
And  turn  their  heads  to  imitate  the  iun." 


NOTES     TO     ELIJAH.  87 

11  The  Egyptians  had  their  solemn  dances  as  well  as  the  Jews  ; 
the  principal  was  their  astronomical  dance  ;  of  which  the  sacri- 
legious dance  round  the  golden  calf  was  an  imitation." — Hor. 
Smith's  Festivals,  Games,  &c,  p.  195 

(13.)  First  the  courier  of  the  dawn 
Wakes  the  lark  upon  the  lawn. 
As  Linnaeus  constructed  a  clock  of  flowers,  according  to  the 
time  of  day  when  they  expanded  their  blossoms,  so  a  German 
woodsman  is  said. to  have  invented  an  ornithological  clock.  The 
earliest  riser  seems  to  be  the  chaffinch,  whose  song  precedes  the 
dawn,  being  heard  in  summer  from  half  past  1  to  2  o'clock. 
From  2  to  half  past  2,  comes  the  black-cap  ;  from  half  past  2  to 
3,  the  quail ;  from  3  to  half  past  3,  the  hedge-sparrow ;  from 
half  past  3  to  4,  the  blackbird;  from  -1  to  half  past  4,  the  lark, 
which  has  hitherto  monopolized,  without  title,  the  credit  of  giv- 
ing the  earliest  signal.  From  half  past  4  to  5,  the  tit-mouse  is 
heard,  and  last,  and  laziest  of  all.  from  5  to  half  past  5,  the 
sparrow. 

(14.)  And  thou  should&t  he  a  king  indeed. 

"  The  Rev.  John  Welch,  a  Scottish  exile,  was  chosen  pastor  of 
a  French  Protestant  congregation  in  St.  Jean  de  Angely.  This 
is  the  same  Welch  who  married  a  daughter  of  John  Knox,  and 
of  whom  King  James  exclaimed  when  he  heard  it,  '  Knox  and 
Welch  !  the  devil  never  made  such  a  match  as  that.'  '  It's 
right  like,  sir,"  replied  Mrs.  Welch,  'for  we  never  spcired  his 
advice.'  Louis  XIII.  having  besieged  and  taken  the  town  in 
which  Welch  ministered,  and  which  he  had  been  active  in  de- 
fending, summoned  him  into  his  presence  to  vindicate  himself 
for  preaching  contrary  to  law  in  a  place  where  the  court  was  resi- 
dent. 'Sir,'  replied  Welch,  'if  your  Majesty  knew  what  I 
preached,  you  would  not  only  come  and  hear  it  yourself,  but 
make  all  France  to  hear  it ;  for  I  preach  not  as  those  men  you 
use  to  hear.  First,  I  preach  that  you  must  be  saved  by  the 
merits  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  not  your  own  ;  and  I  am  sure  your 
conscience  tells  you  that  your  good  works  will  never  merit 
heaven.     Xext,  I  preach  that,  as  you  are  king  of  France,  there 


88  X  OTES     TO     E  L  IJ  A  II . 

is  no  man  on  earth  above  you.  But  these  men  whom  you  hear 
subject  you  to  the  pope  of  Rome,  which  I  will  never  do.' 
Pleased  with  this  reply,  Louis  said  to  him,  l  lie  bleu,  vous  serez 
mon  ministre — very  good,  you  shall  be  my  minister;'  and,  ad- 
dressing him  by  the  title  of  'father,'  assured  him  of  his  protec- 
tion. He  was  as  good  as  his  word  ;  for,  in  16*21,  when  the  town 
was  again  besieged,  he  gave  directions  to  take  care  of  his  minis- 
ter, and  lie  was  safely  conveyed  with  his  family  to  Rochelle." — 
McCrie's  Sketches  of  Scot.  Hist.,  I.  p.  176. 

(15.)  Whofearcih  God  can  have  no  meaner  fear. 
The  admirer  of  Racine  may  be  reminded  of  that  beautiful  and 
celebrated  line  in  Athalie  : 

"  Je  crains  Dieu,  cher  Abncr,  ct  n'ai  point  d'autre  crainte." 

(16.)  Ev'n  Abraham,  their  vaunted  patriarch, 
A  Chaldean  teas,  and  worshipper  of  fire. 
Abraham  emigrated  from  Ur  of  the  Chaldees,  a  city  of  Meso- 
potamia, now  called  Orfah,  but  anciently  Edessa.  "  Ur  (Hebr. 
Oor),  signifies  light  and  fire,  and,  as  the  Chaldees  were  idolaters, 
this  place  might  have  been  thus  denominated  from  the  sacred 
fire  of  their  worship." — Bush's  Q.  and  N.  on  Genesis,  p.  132. 
"  The  Jews  have  a  fable  concerning  the  death  of  Haran  :  they 
say  that  Terah  was  not  only  an  idolater,  but  a  maker  and  seller 
of  images  ;  and  that  one  day  going  abroad,  he  left  his  son  Abra- 
ham in  the  shop  to  sell  them,  who,  during  his  father's  absence, 
broke  them  all  to  pieces,  except  one  ;  upon  which,  when  Terah 
returned  and  found  what  was  done,  he  had  him  before  Niinrod, 
who  ordered  him  to  be  cast  into  a  burning  furnace,  and  he 
would  sec  whether  the  God  he  worshipped  would  come  and  save 
him  ;  and  whilst  he  was  in  it,  they  asked  his  brother  Haran  in 
whom  he  believed?  He  answered,  if  Abraham  overcomes,  lie 
would  believe  in  his  God,  but  if  not,  in  Nimrod  :  wherefore  they 
cast  him  into  the  furnace,  and  he  was  burnt  ;  and  with  respect  to 
this  it  is  said,  and  Haran  died  before  the  face  of  Terah  his  father ; 
1ml  Abraham  came  out  safe  before  the  eyes  of  them  all." — Gill 
on  Gen.  xi.  28.     This  is  one  of  the  Talmudical  legends  clumsily 


X  O  TE  S      T  O      ELIJAH.  89 

designed  to  explain  a  difficulty  which  does  not  exist,  for  the  ob- 
vious meaning  is,  that  Haran  died  in  his  father's  lifetime,  and  it 
is,  without  doubt,  in  part  borrowed  from  a  like  feat  of  Gideon, 
the  young  Iconoclast,  which  gave  him  the  name  of  Jerubbaal,  or 
the  judge  of  Baal. — See  Judg.  vi.  27. 

(17.)  Profoundest  truths  of  astronomic  lore. 

The  close  connection  of  the  astronomy  and  the  mythology  of 
the  Ethnics  cannot  have  escaped  the  notice  of  the  most  cursory 
student  of  antiquity ;  how  much  they  were  mutually  indebted  to 
each  other  it  is  not  easy  to  decide.  See  Origen  contra  Celsum, 
lib.  I.  p.  11.  Instead  of  troubling  the  reader  with  attempts  to 
reconcile  the  discrepancies  of  the  various  legends  about  Adonis 
or  Tammuz,  suffice  it  to  say,  that  I  have  adhered  to  the  simple 
and  popular  story,  as  it  is  told  in  every  classical  dictionary.  The 
death  and  revivification  of  Adonis  was  exalted  into  an  astronom- 
ical myth,  adumbrating  the  alternations  of  winter  and  summer. 
Adonis,  Baal,  Bel,  Tammuz,  Apollo,  or  Hercules,  is  the  same  as 
the  sun.  Astarte  or  Ashteroth  is  the  moon.  Gesenius  has  de- 
voted much  learning  to  prove  that  Baal  was  the  planet  Jupiter, 
and  Astarte  the  planet  Venus.  This  might  have  been  so  in  later 
times,  but  originally  it  is  scarcely  to  be  doubted  that  the  sun  and 
moon,  as  above  designated,  were  worshipped  as  the  generative 
and  productive  powers  of  nature.  We  find  these  two  powers  or 
principles  still  worshipped  by  the  Hindoos.  Much  may  be  found 
on  this  whole  subject,  especially  in  regard  to  Urania  and  Adonis 
in  Chev.  Ramsay's  Travels  of  Cyrus,  Bk.  vri.  pp.  1S3-194. 

As  to  the  identity  of  Osiris  and  Adonis,  see  an  ancient  epi- 
gram preserved   by   Warburton,   Div.   Leg.   of  Moses,    Bk.  iv. 

Sec.  5  : 

"  Ogygia  me  Bacchum  vocat, 
Osirin  ./Egyptus  putat, 
My  si  Phanacem  nominant, 
Dionyson  Indi  existimant, 
Romana  sacra  Liberum, 
Arabica  Gens  Adoneum, 
Lucaniacus  Pantheum." 

(18.)  Who  would  tlC  city  of  palm-trees  dare  rebuild. 

Joshua,  in  his  adjuration,  did  not  say  that  Jericho  should 


00  NO  T  E  S      T  0      E  L  IJ  A  Ifo 

never  be  rebuilt,  but  only  pronounced  a  cur.se  upon  the  builder. 
Josh.  vi.  kJ().  The  literal  fulfilment  is  recorded  in  1 -Kings  xvi.  3-i. 
Hiel  is  called  the  Bcthelite.  Bethel  was  the  southern  seat  of  the 
idolatry  of  the  golden  calves,  and  Hiel  may  well  be  supposed, 
therefore,  with  a  malignant  hatred  towards  the  Jewish  religion. 
As  it  is  said,  this  was  done  in  the  reign  of  Ahab,  "in  his  days  ;" 
perhaps  these  words  are  meant  to  convey  the  idea,  not  merely  of 
synchronism,  but  of  the  royal  concurrence  and  approbation. 

(19.)  Sidon,  the  populous  mart  of  all  the  world. 

Sidon,  or  Zidon,  was  a  city  of  great  antiquity.  It  is  sup- 
posed to  have  been  founded  soon  after  the  Noachic  deluge  by 
Sidon,  the  son  of  Canaan.  In  the  book  of  Joshua  it  is  commem- 
orated as  "great  Zidon."  It  was  allotted  to  the  tribe  of  Asher, 
but  that  tribe  never  succeeded  in  taking  it.  The  city  of  Laish 
is  said  to  have  "dwelt  careless,  after  the  manner  of  the  Zido- 
nians,  quiet  and  secure."  Judg.  xviii.  7.  It  is  also  mentioned 
by  Homer.  It  was  older  than  Tyre,  which  was  its  colony  ;  hence 
Tyre  is  called  "the  daughter  of  Zidon."  Its  commerce  was  ex- 
tensive, and  its  merchants  were  princes.  The  Sidonians  have 
the  credit  of  inventing  glass.  ]Sone  were  skilled  like  them  to 
carve  in  wood  in  the  time  of  Solomon.  The  famous  Tyrian  dye, 
coveted  by  princes,  was  found  in  shell-fish  taken  off  their  coasts. 
The  richness  of  their  military  equipments  has  already  been  de- 
scribed in  note,  (p.  80).  Their  superiority  in  the  fine  products 
of  the  loom  has  been  immortalized  in  the  Iliad  : 

'-'•  The  Phrygian  queen  to  her  rich  wardrobe  went, 
Where  treasured  oilers  breath'd  a  costly  scent  : 
There  lay  the  vestures  of  no  vulgar  art, 
Sidonian  maids  embroidered  every  part." — IL  vi.  2S9. 

Enriched  by  a  vast  commerce,  Sidon  long  revelled  in  uninter- 
rupted prosperity,  as  well  as  in  that  luxurious  vice  which  is  its 
usual  concomitant,  though  even  Sidon  had  its  Abdolonymus.  But 
at  length  the  thunder  broke.  Prophet  after  prophet,  Isaiah,  Jere- 
miah, Ezekiel,  Joel,  Zechariah,  denounced  the  wrath  of  Jehovah 
againsl  its  heaven-daring  impiety,  and  devoted  it  to  ruin  and  de- 
population.     In  these  predictions  there  is  a  nice  discrimination 


NOTES      TO      ELIJAH.  91 

very  worthy  of  notice,  and  which,  by  a  singular  oversight,  es- 
caped the  keen  eye  of  Keith,  who,  in  his  work  on  the  prophecies, 
is  totally  silent  upon  Sidon.  While  in  the  prophecies  against 
Tvre  utter  desolation  is  denounced,  even  to  the  minute  predic- 
tion that  it  "should  be  only  a  place  for  fishermen  to  spread  their 
nets  on,  no  such  threat  is  to  be  found  against  Sidon.  Her  com- 
merce was  to  dwindle,  and  her  position  to  sink  into  insignifi- 
cance, but  no  such  entire  disappearance  is  threatened  as  is 
against  Tyre,  "  Thou  shalt  be  sought  for,  yet  thou  shalt  never 
be  found  again.'1 — Ezek.  xxiv.  21.. 

In  remarkable  accordance  with  this  discrimination  Tyre  is  at 
this  day  deserted  save  by  a  few  fishermen  ;  but  Sidon,  or  Saida, 
is  a  small  walled  city  of  some  7,000  inhabitants,  and  it  keeps  up 
a  petty  trade  in  exports  of  fruits. — Prime's  Trav.  II.  321.  It 
is  well  to  bear  this  fact  in  mind,  especially  as  Lamartine  leaves 
the  impression  on  his  readers  of  the  exact  contrary  :  'k  Saide,  the 
ancient  Sidon — a  mere  shadow  of  the  ruined  city,  of  which  it  has 
lost  even  the  name — retaining  no  trace  whatever  of  its  past  gran- 
deur. A  circular  jetty  formed  of  huge  stones  surrounds  a  haven 
filled  with  sand,  from  which  a  few  fishermen  and  their  children 
were  pushing  into  the  sea  a  frail  bark  without  masts  or  sails — 
the  sole  maritime  image  remaining  of  this  second  queen  of  the 
seas." — Pilgr.  I.  171.  Dr.  Robinson  gives  a  much  more  satisfac- 
tory and  circumstantial  account:  ''The  ancient  harbor  was 
formed  by  a  long  low  ridge  of  rocks,  parallel  to  the  shore  in 
front  of  the  city.  Before  the  time  of  Fakhr-ed-Din,  there  was 
here  a  port  capable  of  receiving  fifty  galleys ;  but  that  chief- 
tain, in  order  to  protect  himself  against  the  Turks,  caused  it  to 
be  partly  filled  up  with  stones  and  earth  ;  so  that  ever  since  his 
day  only  boats  can  enter  it.  Larger  vessels  lie  without  the  en- 
trance, on  the  north  of  the  ledge  of  rocks,  where  they  are  pro- 
tected from  the  south-west  winds,  but  exposed  to  those  from  the 
northern  quarter.  .  .  .  The  commerce  of  Saida,  which  five 
and  twenty  years  ago  was  still  considerable,  has  of  late  years 
fallen  off,  in  consequence  of  the  prosperity  of  Beirut ;  the  latter 
having  become  exclusively  the  port  of  Damascus.  .  .  .  The 
beauty  of  Saida  consists  in  its  gardens  and  orchards  of  fruit-trees, 
which  fill  the  plain  and  extend  to  the  foot  of  the  adjacent  hills." 
— Robinson's  Bibl.  Researches  in  Palestine,  II.  p.   I 


02  .NOTES      O  N      ELIJAH. 

Although  "the  kings  of  Sidon"  have  long  since  been  dis- 
crowned, Jer.  v.  2'2  ;  and  "  the  strength  of  the  sea"  mourns  over 
its  fallen  fortunes,  Isa.  xxiii.  4  ;  Sidon  is  not  abandoned  to  deso- 
lation. It  is  still  prosperous  on  a  small  scale,  and  the  exterior 
of  the  town  presents  "a  most  lovely  appearance." — Paxton's 
Lett,  from  Palestine,  p.  238. 

(20.)  Tlic  very  sands  with  crystal  treasures  teem. 

Moses  predicted  to  Zebulon,  "  treasures  hid  in  the  sand," 
Deut.  x xxiii.  19,  which  Dr.  Gill  thinks  may  allude  to  the  dis- 
covery of  glass.  The  tradition  ran,  according  to  Pliny,  that  the 
discovery  was  accidentally  made  by  the  crew  of  a  merchant  ves- 
sel near  the  river  Belus,  which  is  on  the  boundary  line  of  Zebu- 
lon. Layard  mentions  glass  bowls  among  the  antiquities  found 
in  the  palace  of  Nimroud,  bearing  the  name  of  Sargon,  and,  of 
course,  fabricated  about  the  latter  part  of  the  seventh  cen- 
tury, b.  c.  Opaque  glass,  found  in  Egypt,  exists  of  the  fifteenth 
century,  B.  c. — Xin.  and  Bab.,  p.  1G6. 

(21.)   Old  man  !  thou  art  severe  ! 

A  native  of  the  obscure  transjordanic  village  of  Thisbe, 
among  the  wild  mountains  of  Gilead  ;  probably  a  child  of  pov- 
erty and  inured  to  hardship,  as  may  be  inferred  from  his  coarse 
garment  of  camel's  hair  fastened  with  a  leathern  girdle  ;  Elijah 
is  presented  abruptly  in  the  sacred  history.  "We  know  nothing 
of  him  except  from  his  own  words  and  actions.  He  seems  to 
have  been  one  of  the  Sons  of  Thunder,  like  John  the  Baptist, 
whose  prototype  he  was,  whom  Divine  Providence  occasionally 
raises  up  to  utter  portentous  warnings,  to  breast  the  tide  of  cor- 
ruption, to  inaugurate  reforms,  or  at  least  to  stand  up  as  a  wit- 
ness for  the  truth. 

The  general  conception  of  Elijah's  character  is  that  of  a 
stern  and  uncompromising  prophet  of  wrath  and  judgment,  with 
nothing  soft  or  amiable  in  his  nature.  And  yet  his  tender  solici- 
tude and  fervent  prayers  for  the  poor  son  of  the  widow  of  Za- 
rephath  ;  his  deep  humiliation  and  self-reproaches  in  the  wilder- 
his  mourning  over  the  apostasy  of  his  nation;  and  his 
considerate  desire  that  Elisha  should  be  spared  the  pain  of  part- 


N  0  T  ES      TO      ELIJAH.     '  93 

ing,  when  he  foreknew  that  he  was  about  to  leave  the  world ; 
all  indicate  a  heart,  so  far  from  being  devoid  of  human  sympa- 
thies, capable  of  the  most  generous,  profound,  and  even  delicate 
feeling. 

In  these  respects,  a  similarity  may  he  traced  between  the 
Tishbite,  and  the  Reformer  of  Scotland.  In  each  we  see  the 
same  dauntless  and  fiery  daring,  confronting  the  throne  and  ut- 
tering truths  unpalatable  to  royal  ears,  at  the  hazard  of  being 
stigmatized  as  bigoted  and  fanatical.  And  in  each  we  also  de- 
tect a  hidden  vein  of  tenderness  running  deep  below  the  surface, 
and  by  those  who  scan  only  the  surface,  quite  unsuspected. 
Knox,  when  charged  by  Queen  Mary  with  harshness,  protested 
that,  on  the  contrary,  it  irked  him  to  appear  severe,  and  that  he 
could  not  chastise  even  his  own  children  without  tears. 

(22.)  If  thou 

Must  prophesy  of  ill,  to  Judah  turn. 
See   the   actual   prototype  of  this   advice   given   to  Amos. 
Amos  vii.  12,  13. 

(23.)  With  rights  of  conscience  I  ne'er  interfere. 

"  The  principle  of  liberty  of  worship,  though  stated  in  gen- 
eral terms,  refers  especially  to  liberty  of  conscience.  The  State 
has  no  right  to  ask  account  of  personal  faith.  But  when,  leav- 
ing these  private  individual  prayers  and  devotions,  citizens  meet 
together  to  worship  openly,  the  French  government,  regarding 
the  important  interests  of  society,  has  never  hesitated  to  give 
the  State  the  right  of  previous  authority.'1 — Report  of  M.  Rou- 
land,  Minister  of  Public  Instruction  and  of  Worship  to  the  Em- 
peror of  France,  1859.  (See  X.  Y.  Obs.,  May  26,  1839.)  One 
might  be  tempted  to  think  that  King  Ahab  had  borrowed  his 
sentiments  from  the  French  Minister,  so  striking  a  similarity  is 
there  in  both  the  thought  and  the  expression ;  it  becomes,  there- 
fore, necessary  to  state  that  the  lines  in  the  drama  were  written 
several  years  before  tlie  appearance  of  M.  Rouiand's  Report. 

(24.)  Bread  Lord  of  Heaven,  sole  source  of  day  ! 

Selden,  in  his  learned  work,  i:  Be  Biis  Syr  is"  has  exhausted 


94  NOTES     TO     ELIJAH. 

the  subject  of  Syrian  mythology.     His  treatise  is  the  Thesaurus 
from  which  all  subsequent  writers  have  drawn.    ' 

Having  shown  that  "Syrian"  and  "Assyrian''  were  words 
used  indiscriminately  in  the  LXX.,  and  that  Virgil  called  Tyrian 
purple  the  Assyrian  dye  (Georg.  hi.),  he  draws  attention  to  the 
fact,  that  the  Syrian  deities  were  known  by  Hebrew,  not  Ara- 
maean or  Babylonian  names  ;  as  Gad,  Baal,  Baalim,  Baalzebub, 
Aslitcroth,  Succoth  Benoth  ;  Dagon  from  the  Hebrew  dag,  or 
fish  ;  Moloch  and  Milcom  from  melech,  a  king.  The  Hebrew, 
he  conceives  to  have  been  the  mother  tongue. — Proleg.  p.  22. 

Baal,  or  Bel,  and  its  plural  form,  Baalim,  arc  of  frequent  oc- 
currence in  the  sacred  writings,  as  common  to  various  gods. 
From  the  Phoenician  Baal  the  Chaldeans  dropped  the  middle  let- 
ter, and  made  Bel.  Josephus  sometimes  says  Bel,  and  some- 
times Baal.  He  is  the  Belus  of  the  Greeks  and  Romans.  The 
name.  Lord,  originally  signified  the  Supreme  Creator.  Hence 
the  LXX.  render  Jehovah  by  the  corresponding  word  Adonai,  or 
the  Lord.  So  Hosea  says,  "thou  shalt  call  me  Mi,  i.  e.  my  hus- 
band !  and  shalt  call  me  no  more  Baali,  i.  e.  my  Lord  !  " — Hos. 
ii.  1G.  This  was  in  consequence  of  the  name  Baal  or  lord  hav- 
ing become  abused  and  perverted  to  idolatrous  purposes. 

As  the  primitive  meaning  of  the  term  signified  a  lord,  pos- 
sessor, master,  or  owner,  it  was  applied  to  various  objects  of 
which  possession  was  prcdicable  ;  as  the  lord  of  a  house,  or 
owner;  the  lord  of  a  family,  or  father;  the  lord  of  a  wife,  or 
husband  ;  the  lord  of  a  wing,  or  a  bird  ;  the  lord  of  horns,  or  a 
ram  ;  the  lord  of  the  tongue,  or  a  talker ;  and  hence, -very  natu- 
rally, was  applied  to  the  sun,  the  lord  of  light,  winch  was,  ac- 
cording to  Sanconiathon,  called  Beelsamaion,  or  Beclsamen,  i.  e. 
the  lord  of  heaven.  Cities  had  the  name  in  composition,  as  Baal- 
g ad,  Baal-Zephon,  Baal-perazim,  Baal-tamar.  In  the  same  way, 
the  Carthaginians,  who  were  of  Phoenician  origin  and  worshipped 
Baal  or  Bel,  (as  Dido  did,  ua  Belo  soliti"),  used  the  god's  name 
in  composition,  as  Annibal,  Asdrubal,  Adherbal.  So  Daniel  was 
called  Belteshazzar,  after  the  Chaldean  god.  Bel  is  alluded  to 
by  [saiah  and  Jeremiah,  and  the  Apocryphal  story  of  Bel  and  the 
Dragon  is  familial'  to  all. 

An  altar  in  the  house  of  the  Mattheii  beyond  the  Tiber,  bore 


NOTES      TO      ELIJAH.  95 

the  inscription,  "  Soli  Alagabalo  Julius  Balbillus  Aquila"  Bal- 
billus  was  a  priest  of  the  Sun  in  the  time  of  Severus.  Selden  de- 
rives the  word  Gabalus,  by  a  common  change  of  letters,  from 
Agal-Baal,  the  round  lord,  or  lord  of  the  sphere,  as  Derceto 
was  formed  from  Atargate,  and  Baisampsa  from  Beth-shemesh. 

As  the  Sun,  Jupiter,  Saturn,  Baal,  Adon,  and  Moloch  are  all 
employed  among  the  ancient  writers  in  inextricable  confusion, 
the  conclusion  Selden  reaches  is  as  follows  :  M  Since  Saturn,  Ju- 
piter, Ccelus,  Uranus  are  so  confused  in  fable,  that  neither  Phce- 
bus  himself  could  discriminate  between  them,  or  recognize  him- 
self among  them  ;  and  since  that  numerous  crowd  of  divinities 
may  be  reduced  by  mycologists  to  the  god  Apollo  or  the  Sun, 
we  need  not  hesitate  to  conclude  that  from  the  one  Bel  or  Baal, 
or  Jove  (under  which  names  those  who  first  deviated  from  the 
worship  of  the  true  God  adored  the  Sun),  invoked  after  the 
ridiculous  manner  of  the  ancients,  innumerable  titles  were  de- 
rived. The  more  these  titles  were  multiplied,  the  more  honor 
they  thought  they  paid  their  deity,  till,  as  error  advanced,  what 
were  at  first  only  names  of  superstition  came  to  be  regarded  as 
distinct  deities." — Syntagma,  I.  p.  140. 

It  is  observable,  that  Elijah,  more  than  once,  charged  Ahab 
with  having  followed  Baalim.  This  might  mean  either  the 
whole  host  of  heaven,  or  that  not  content  with  the  Baal  of  the 
Zidonians,  he  worshipped  others  of  the  same  name.  Baal-berith 
is  the  presider  over  covenants,  corresponding  to  the  Jupiter- 
fidius  of  the  Romans  ;  Baalzebub,  the  lord  or  banisher  of  flies, 
in  allusion  to  deliverance  from  a  plague  of  insects,  correspond- 
ing to  Jupiter  Apomuios ;  Baal-peor,  the  lord  or  possessor  of 
shame,  corresponding  to  the  Roman  Priapus,  Jerome  thought 
this  latter,  or  Baal  Phegor,  was  Maachah's  idol. 

(25.)  And  flower  and  river  still  retain 

The  merrCry  of  that  mournful  stain. 
"  There  is  also  another  wonder  in  this  country  of  Byblis,  and 
that  is,  a  certain  river  runneth  out  of  Mount  Libanus  into  the 
sea,  the  name  whereof  is  Adonis.  Now  this  river,  every  year, 
is  turned  into  blood,  and  being  so  discolored,  falleth  into  the 
sea  ;  a  considerable   part  whereof  it   tinctures  of  a  purple  color, 


90  N  Q  T  SS     TO     ELIJAH. 

thereby  signifying  to  the  Byblians  the  time  when  to  begin  their 
mourning.  They  also  further  relate,  how  that  at  that  very  time 
Adonis,  being  wounded  on  Libanus,  and  his  blood  running  into 
the  water,  changed  the  color  of  the  river,  and  giveth  the  denom- 
ination to  the  current :  which  things  are  reported  by  the  vulgar. 
But  a  certain  Byblian  of  credit  related  to  me  another  cause  of 
this  accident,  which  was  this.  The  river  Adonis  (said  he)  pass- 
eth  through  Mount  Libanus,  which  consists  of  a  very  red  mould ; 
so  that  strong  winds,  arising  at  that  time  of  the  year,  carry  the 
earth  into  the  river,  and  turn  it  into  a  reddish  color ;  which  the 
Byblian  assured  me  was  the  true  cause  of  that  accident,  and  not 
the  blood  they  talk  of." — Dryden's  Lucian,  vol.  I.  p.  242-244. 
(The  translations  are  by  different  hands.  That  of  "  the  Syrian 
Goddess"  is  by  Charles  Blount.) 

(26.)  Tammuz  is  dead  ! 

The  prophet  Ezekiel,  directed  by  divine  inspiration,  beheld 
within  a  secret  apartment  of  the  temple,  upon  whose  walls  was 
portrayed  "  every  form  of  creeping  things  and  abominable  beasts, 
and  idols,"  seventy  of  the  ancients  or  elders  of  Israel  standing  in 
the  attitude  of  worship,  each  holding  a  burning  censer.  From 
these  "chambers  of  imagery,"  he  was  brought  to  the  inner  court, 
and  between  the  porch  and  the  altar,  he  discerned  five  and 
twenty  men,  with  their  backs  to  the  temple  and  their  faces  tow- 
ard the  east,  worshipping  the  sun.  Thence  he  was  conducted 
to  the  north  gate  of  the  temple,  "and  behold,  there  sat  women 
weeping  for  Tammuz." — Ezek.  viii.  14. 

There  are  various  opinions,  says  Selden,  about  Thammuz. 
lie  has  been  confounded  with  Mars,  with  Osiris,  with  a  king  of 
Egypt,  with  an  Egyptian  prophet  of  that  name,  slain  by  Pha- 
raoh ;  upon  whose  death  all  the  images  from  all  the  ends  of  the 
earth  assembled  in  the  Temple  of  the  Sun  in  Babylon,  where, 
suspended  in  the  air,  he  told  them  their  histories,  and  they  wept 
and  lamented  all  night,  and  at  daybreak  returned  to  their  places. 
Hence,  says  the  Rabbi  Moses,  the  custom  of  mourning  for  the 
prophet  on  the  first  day  of  the  month  Thammuz.  Jerome  con- 
ceived him  to  be  the  same  as  Adonis,  and  to  have  been  called 
Thammuz  from  the  month  of  his  worship.     Whether  the  god  was 


NOTES     TO     ELIJAH.  97 

denominated  from  the  month,  or  the  month  from  the  god,  Sel- 
den  is  at  a  loss  to  determine. 

Adonis,  according  to  Hes)Tchius,  is  the  same  as  the  Syrian 
Adon,  or  lord,  which  is  merely  a  title,  not  a  name.  So  also  the 
word  Thammuz  signifies  concealed.  The  fable  runs,  that  Adonis 
or  Thammuz  was  a  beautiful  youth  beloved  by  Yenus,  whose 
passion  he  did  not  return  with  equal  ardor.  He  being  slain  by  a 
wild  boar,  she  prevailed  with  the  infernal  powers  to  permit  his 
return  to  upper  air  ;  but  Proserpine,  having  meantime  become 
also  enamored  of  him,  the  two  goddesses  agreed  that  they 
should  enjoy  his  company  in  turn,  each  six  months  at  a  time. 
All  which,  understood  astronomically  of  the  Sun,  symbolized  the 
winter  and  summer  solstices.  The  Egyptian  feasts  were  mova- 
ble, but  those  of  the  Israelites  were  fixed.  Therefore  the  festi- 
val, with  them,  occurred  in  the  same  month,  Tammuz,  which  was 
at  the  summer  solstice,  answering  to  June  and  July. — Selden's 
Syntagma,  II.  pp.  240-249. 

(21.)   While  "Baal!  Baal!  Baal!"  is  their  cry. 

Much  of  the  worship  of  the  heathen  was,  and  is,  an  exercise 
of  the  lungs.  It  consisted,  also,  in  great  part,  of  those  "  vain 
repetitions"  condemned  by  our  Lord;  "Battology,"  the  Greeks 
called  it,  from  one  Battus,  a  stutterer.  That  no  title  of  honor 
or  other  mark  of  respect  might  be  omitted,  they  spoke  syllable 
by  syllable,  and  often  repeated  both  syllables  and  words.  A 
young  Brahmin  in  India  has  been  known  to  be  in  the  habit  of 
repeating  in  a  day,  the  name  of  Siva  G,250  times,  and  that  of 
Ram,  12,500.  Zell,  in  his  Handbook  of  Roman  Epigraphy  (see 
X.  Y.  Obs.,  vol.  XXX.  p.  364),  gives  a  fragment  of  the  sacrificial 
liturgy  of  the  Field  Brotherhood,  a  sacerdotal  corporation  of 
Rome.     This  curious  relic  amply  illustrates  the  above  positions. 

11  Help  us,  ye  Lares  ! 
Help  us,  ye  Lares  ! 
Help  us,  ye  Lares  ! 
Suffer  no  sickness,  Mars,  to  invade  the  multitude  ! 
Suffer  no  sickness,  Mars,  to  invade  the  multitude  1 
Suffer  no  sickness,  Mars;  to  invade  the  multitude  ! 
Be  filled,  O  Mars  !  leap  to  the  threshold  of  the  god,  and  stand 
there,  fat  wether ! 


98  N  o  T  B  S     TO     ELI  J  A  II. 

Be  filled,  O  Mars  !  leap  to  the  threshold  of  the  god,  and  stand 

there,  fat  wether  1 
Be  filled,  O  Mars  !  leap  to  the  threshold  of  the  god,  and  ctand 

there,  fat  wether  1 
Ye  twin  Penates,  the  whole  people  has  called  you  to  its  aid! 
Ye  tw'm  Penates,  the  Avhole  people  has  called  you  to  its  aid! 
Ye  twin  Penates,  the  ^iiolc  people  has  called  you  to  its  aid! 

Help  us,  O  Mars  ! 

Help  us,  O  Mars  ! 

Help  us,  O  Mars  I 
Triumpe  !    Triumpe !    Triumpe !    Triumpc  1    Triumpel" 

(28.)  Cut  with  lancets  keen. 

This  cutting  was  not  from  vexation  at  their  disappointment, 
but  in  accordance  with  the  persuasion  that  their  deities  delighted 
in  blood.  Not  only  were  human  sacrifices  occasionally  offered, 
as  to  Hercules,  Saturn,  Moloch,  Diana  of  Tauris,  &c. ;  the  priests 
were  accustomed,  with  many  mad  gestures,  to  wound  themselves 
with  swords.  So  did  the  Persian  priests  in  the  worship  of  Mith- 
ra  (Josephus,  Ant.  Jud.  bk.  8.  c.  13.  §  o,  n.),  and  so  did  the  wor- 
shippers of  Bellona.  Tertullian  says  of  them,  "to  this  day  they 
consecrate  to  Bellona  the  blood  issuing  from  their  slashed 
thighs." — Apol.  c.  ix.  p.  826.  Which  is  corroborated  by  Lac- 
tantius,  "  Sacerdotes  non  alieno,  sed  suo  cruore  sacrificant. 
Sectis  namque  humeris,  et  utraque  manu  districtos  gladios  exse- 
rentes,  currunt,  efferuntur,  insaniunt."- — Inst.  bk.  i.  c.  21.  voL 
I.  p.  74.  Similar  practices  obtained  in  the  worship  of  Isis,  as  we 
learn  from  Herodotus:  "After  the  ceremonies  of  sacrifice  the 
whole  assembly,  to  the  amount  of  many  thousands,  flagellate 
themselves,  but  in  whose  honor  they  do  this,  I  am  not  at  liberty 
to  disclose.  The  Carians  of  Egypt  treat  themselves  at  this  so- 
lemnity with  still  more  severity ;  for  they  cut  themselves  in  the 
face  with  swords,  and  thus  distinguish  themselves  from  the  Egyp- 
tian natives." — llerod.  II.  c.  01. 

At  the  great  feast  in  the  spring,  "the  whole  multitude  is 
drawn  into  the  temple,  where  the  Galli,  and  other  priests  which 
I  formerly  mentioned,  perform  the  orgies,  wounding  their  arms, 
and  thumping  their  backs  one  against  another.  In  the  mean 
time  many  play  upon  music,  and  beat  drums  by  them,  whilst 
others  bawl  out  sacred  catches,  and  this  is  all  performed  without 


NOTES     TO     ELIJAH.  99 

the  temple.  At  the  same  time,  the  Galli  are  also  made ;  for  as 
they  sound  with  the  pipes,  and  perform  the  sacrifices,  this  fury 
of  mutilating  themselves  seizeth  upon  many,  and  several  coming 
to  see  the  show,  have  been  drawn  thereby  to  do  the  like." — Dry- 
den's  Lucian,  vol.  I.  p.  268. 

"  In  Hierapolis,  the  young  men  always  consecrate  the  shav- 
ings of  their  beards,  and  the  children  suffer  their  hair  to  grow 
from  their  very  infancy  till  the  time  they  cut  it  off  in  the  tem- 
ple ;  when,  putting  it  into  vessels  either  of  silver  or  gold,  they 
hang  it  up  in  the  temple,  and  so  depart,  having  inscribed  every 
one's  name  upon  the  vessel ;  the  same  I  likewise  did  myself, 
when  I  was  very  young,  so  that  both  my  hair  and  my  name  are 
yet  remaining  in  the  temple." — Dry  den's  Lucian,  vol.  I.  p.  271. 

"  Xow  there  are  many  priests  belonging  to  this  place  ;  where- 
of some  kill  the  sacrifices,  others  carry  the  drink-offerings;  others 
are  called  fire-bearers,  and  others  waited  on  the  altar  ;  but,  in 
my  time,  more  than  three  hundred  attended  on  the  sacrifice, 
having  all  of  them  on  white  garments,  and  a  bonnet  [7nAoj/] 
upon  their  heads.  A  new  high-priest  is  chosen  among  them 
every  year,  who  only  weareth  purple,  and  a  golden  turban  on 
his  head.  There  is  also  another  company  of  men  consecrated, 
as  pipers,  fiddlers,  and  Galli,  or.  mutilated  priests,  besides  frantic 
and  enthusiastic  women." — Dryden's  Lucian,  vol.  I.  p.  266. 

(20.)  Perchance  he  sleeps. 

Elijah  had  a  good  right  to  banter  the  idolaters  about  the 
drowsiness  of  their  god,  for  it  was  the  general  belief  that  the 
gods  yielded  to  the  influence  of  sleep.  For  this  we  have  the 
high  authority  of  Homer ;  who  describes  the  gods,  in  common 
with  the  crested  warriors  of  earth,  ''sleeping  all  night  long." — 
II.  II.  1,  2.  Some  have  said,  that  the  heathen  would  not  enter 
into  the  temples  at  noon  for  fear  of  disturbing  the  siesta  of  the 
divinities  at  that  hour.  As  for  their  travelling  propensities,  the 
same  bard  represents  Jupiter,  attended  by  all  the  gods,  as  hav- 
ing gone 

"  to  grace 
The  feasts  of  Ethiopia's  blameless  race  ; 
Twelve  days  the  powers  indulge  the  genial  rite, 
Returning  with  the  twelfth  revolving  light. ''—Iliad,  bk.  i.  1.  423. 


100  NOTES     TO     ELIJAH. 

( 81  >. )  Sons  of  the  Prophets. 

"Some  of  the  scribes  seem  to  have  held  schools  lor  public 
instruction  ;  some  of  which,  under  the  care  of  Samuel  and  other 
prophets,  became  in  time  quite  illustrious,  and  were  called  the 
schools  of  the  prophets,  1  Sam.  xix.  19,  et  seq. ;  2  Kings  ii.  3,  5 ; 
iv.  38;  vi.  1.  The  disciples  in  these  schools  were  not  children 
or  boys,  but  young  men,  who  inhabited  separate  edifices,  as  is 
the  case  in  the  Persian  academies.  They  were  taught  music  and 
singing,  without  doubt  writing  also,  the  Mosaic  law,  and  poetry. 
They  were  denominated,  in  reference  to  their  instructors,  the 
sons  of  the  prophets,  teachers  and  prophets  being  sometimes 
called  fathers"— John's  Bibl.  Archasol.,  §  SG,  p.  92. 

The  earliest  intimation  of  an  organized  body  of  prophets  is 
found  in  1  Sam.  x.  5.  His  emissaries  saw  "the  company  of  the 
prophets  prophesying,  and  Samuel  standing  as  appointed  over 
them."  At  Naioth  then  there  would  seem  to  have  been  a  col- 
lege or  school  pf  prophets,  a  house  of  doctrine,  as  the  Targum 
calls  it,  over  which  Samuel  presided.  This  presidency  was  not  a 
chance  or  occasional  thing,  for  he  was  "  appointed"  over  them. 
By  whom  the  appointment  was  made,  or  when,  or  how,  we  have 
no  means  of  knowing.  In  the  reign  of  Ahab,  Jezebel  cut  off  the 
prophets  of  the  Lord,  and  Obadiah  hid  a  hundred  of  them  by 
fifties  in  a  cave,  probably  one  of  the  caves  of  Carmel,  and  fed 
them  with  bread  and  water. — 1  Kings  xviii.  4.  It  is  after  this  mas- 
sacre we  meet  with  the  expression,  for  the  first  time,  "the  sons 
of  the  prophets."  "  A  certain  man  of  the  sons  of  the  prophets," 
called,  in  a  following  verse,  "  the  prophet,"  and  again,  "  of  the 
prophets,"  accosted  Ahab. — 1  Kings  xx.  35.  After  this  we  read 
repeatedly  of  "the  sons  of  the  prophets,"  at  Bethel,  at  Jericho,  at 
Gilgal,  &c.  They  seem  to  have  lived  in  houses  of  their  own,  se- 
cluded from  others,  for  the  sons  of  the  prophets  once  said  to 
Elisha,  "the  place  where  we  dwell  with  thee  is  too  strait  for 
us." — 2  Kings  vi.  1.  Whereupon,  with  Elisha  at  their  head,  they 
went  to  Jordan  and  felled  timber  sufficient  to  construct  a  suitable 
lodging.  "These  were  establishments  obviously  intended  to 
prepare  young  men  for  certain  offices  analogous  to  those  which 
are  discharged  in  our  day  by  the  different  orders  of  the  clergy  ; 
maintained  in  some  degree  at  the  public  expense   [the  log-house 


NOTES      TO      ELIJAH.  101 

built  by  their  own  hands  hardly  looks  like  it ;  on  the  contrary, 
the  twenty  loaves  of  barley,  and  the  full  ears  of  corn  presented 
by  a  man  of  Baal-shalisha,  indicate  that  they  were  aided  by 
the  voluntary  contributions  of  the  people. — 2  Kings  iv.  42]  ;  and 
placed  under  the  superintendence  of  persons  who  were  distin- 
guished for  their  gravity  and  high  endowments. "— Russell's  Pal- 
estine, p.  89. 


JASODA,    OR    T II K    SUTTEE. 


JASODA,   OK   THE    SUTTEE. 


i. 

Where  lordly  Ganges  rolls  his  ample  flood, 
Adored  with  horrid  rites  of  lust  and  blood, 
A  group  is  standing,  by  their  country's  Pride 
And  Banians'  pillared  shade  o'ercanopied. 
Day's  glowing  axle  downward  plunges  steep, 
To  cool  its  fervors  in  the  western  deep  ; 
And  distant  towers  and  burnished  pagods  gleam 
In  long  reflection  on  th'  empurpled  stream. 
The  west  is  bathed  in  floods  of  molten  gold, 
While  rosy  tints  superior  empire  hold ; 
The  rosy  tints  by  russet  are  o'ercast, 
And  Night  on  dusky  wing  comes  flying  fast. 
Brief  twilight !  where  the  unveiled  orb  of  day 
Pours  his  directest  and  his  hottest  ray. 

II. 

The  hour  has  come,  fit  hour  for  deeds,  whose  birth 
Sprang  from  the  fiends,  that  darkling  roam  the  earth. 
A  corpse  reposes  on  a  low-built  pile, 
Where  Bramins  ply  their  hellish  task  the  while. 
5* 


106  JASODA. 

With  eye  unmoved  Jasoda  stands  beside, 
Sparkling  with  gems,  and  radiant  as  a  bride, 
Through  grief,  or  fear,  or  opiate's  potent  spell, 
To  all  the  passing  scene  insensible  ; 
Unless,  perchance,  her  simple,  ignorant  mind, 
Untaught  to  think,  to  childish  toys  confined, 
Now  first  expands  beneath  a  conscious  thought, 
With  gorgeous  visions  of  the  future  wrought. 

in. 

By  one  sharp  moment's  fiery  sacrifice, 

Hopes  she  to  lift  her  loved  one  to  the  skies, 

And  share  his  joys  ;  while  the  Eighth  King  of  Gods 

Shall  govern  those  voluptuous  abodes  ? 

To  both,  for  one  short  pang,  'twill  then  be  giv'n, 

To  wander,  hand  in  hand,  through  Indra's  Heav'n,1 

'Mid  spacious  palaces,  whose  roofs  of  gold 

Pillars  of  solid  diamond  uphold, 

While  jasper,  chrysolite,  and  sapphire  vie 

To  shame  the  splendors  of  the  midday  sky. 

There  balmy  breezes  play  through  shady  bowers, 

O'er  limpid  pools,  and  ever  brilliant  flowers, 

Whose  blushing  petals  to  the  sun  expand, 

And  shed  delicious  odors  on  the  land. 

There  softly  floating  symphonies  entrance, 

While  twinkling  feet  move  in  the  mazy  dance; 

And  neither  Sickness.  Sorrow,  Pain,  nor  Care 

With  knitted  brow,  is  ever  heard  of  there. 


J  AS  O  DA.  107 

IV. 

And  does  the  hope  to  be  so  sweetly  blest, 
With  exultation  heave  that  youthful  breast ; 
Is't  that  her  busy  thoughts  are  far  away, 
And,  lost  in  dreams,  heed  not  the  fatal  day*? 
Lo  !  round  the  silent,  passive  devotee, 
Haste  to  their  close  the  rites  of  cruelty. 
Bathed  in  the  sacred  stream,  whose  mystic  wave 
Hath  power  at  once  to  purify  and  save, 
On  her  slow  steps  the  throng,  admiring,  strew 
Garlands,  and  precious  dust  of  crimson  hue, 
The  golden  flower  of  love  that  incense  breathes, 
With  ruddy  lotus  twined,  in  gaudy  wreaths. 

v. 

The  mystic  O'M  receives  due  homage  first,2 
Soul  of  the  world.     From  watery  Chaos  burst, 
Beneath  its  ripening  smile,  the  swelling  sphere, 
"Which  held  the  germs  of  all  things  that  appear. 
Next,  Mahadeva's  all-absorbing  power, 
Lord  of  the  trident,  and  the  parting  hour  ; 
Vishnu,  with  triple  crown  and  flaming  wheel, 
And  conch  that  wakes  creation  with  its  peal ; 
Chrishna,  to  whom,  in  winning  grace  arrayed, 
Her  softest  vows  breathes  every  Hindoo  maid  ;3 
Inferior  gods  the  rites  theurgic  share,4 
Sun,  Moon,  and  Planets,  Water,  Fire,  and  Air. 


108  JASOBA. 

VL 

£Ije  |nb0catrow. 

"  From  your  far  home, 
Celestial  Devas,  throned  in  radiance  bright, 
And  ye,  propitious  spheres  of  living  light, 

Come,  Spirits,  come  ! 

"  From  shady  vale, 
Cool  grot,  or  mountain  haunt,  with  torrents  gushing, 
Or,  on  hoarse-bellowing  blasts  from  ocean  rushing, 
Hail,  Spirits,  hail ! 

"  Through  middle  air, 
Swift  as  the  ruddy  flash  that  rends  the  pole, 
Its  mortal  dross  by  fire  refined,  the  soul 
To  Siva  bear. 

"  Yam  a  we  dread, & 
Who  waits  severe,  far  from  the  cheerful  dawn, 
Where  the  tempestuous  South's  black  caverns  yawn, 
To  judge  the  dead. 

"  Dark  spells  restrain 
And  mantra  chant,  his  troop  for  blood  athirst, 
Who  suuff  the  fumes  afar,  and  pant  to  burst 
The  viewless  chain. 

'•  Appear  !  appear  ! 
Celestial  Devas.  throned  in  radiance  bright, 
And  ye,  propitious  Spheres  of  Living  Light, 
1  fear,  Spirits,  hear  !  " 


JASODA.  109 


vn. 


Thrice  round  the  fatal  pile,  with  measured  pace, 
They  lead  the  victim,  ere  the  last  embrace ; 
Then  place  her  on  the  wood,  the  corpse  beside, 
Her  arms  with  knotted  cords  securely  tied , 
The  supple  bamboo's  length  they  stretch  athwart, 
And  bind  the  beating  to  the  lifeless  heart ; 
The  heaped-up  faggots  hide  her  from  the  sight, 
And  all  is  ready  for  the  torch  to  light. 
That  torch,  a  son's  untrembling  hand  must  wave, 
Her  to  consume,  who  life  and  nurture  gave ; 
That  hand  how  oft  her  lip  had  fondly  pressed, 
Proud  of  the  babe  that  smiled  upon  her  breast. 
Unnatural  task  !  in  the  same  hapless  day, 
That  bids  him  mourn  a  father's  lifeless  clay, 
The  boy  a  dying  mother's  side  must  leave, 
A  self-made  orphan,  sinning  if  he  grieve  ! 

vni. 

Swift  at  the  torch,  around  the  crackling  pyre, 
Flashes  a  raging  serpent-coil  of  fire  ; 
Rapid  and  fierce  the  curling  blazes  rise, 
And  shoot  their  forked  tongues,  and  lick  the  skies. 
Waked  by  the  scorching  pain,  but  waked  too  late, 
To  all  the  dreadful  horror  of  her  fate ; 
Stifled  with  smoke  and  putrefaction's  steam, 
Her  quivering  flesh  crisped  by  the  sheeted  flame  ; 


110  JASODA. 

Fain  would  she  snap  the  reed  and  flaxen  tie, 
But  reed  and  flax  her  feeble  strength  defy. 
Her  eyes  are  all  that  she  has  power  to  move, 
Her  eyes  in  vain  she  turns  to  heaven  above ; 
Exulting  fiends  mock  with  malicious  grin, 
And  blood-smeared  Kalee  gloats  upon  the  scene 

IX. 

In  vain  she  calls  a  son's  forbidden  aid, 

In  vain  th'  unfeeling  Bramins  that  betrayed ; 

In  vain  she  shrieks ;  her  piercing  shrieks  are  drowned 

By  barb'rous  horns,  and  cymbals'  clashing  sound, 

With  roll  of  drum,  and  thundering  gong,  and  shell 

Braminical,  and  tongue  of  clamorous  bell. 

While  naked  Yogees,  and  the  Soodra  crowd, 

Swell  the  discordant  din  with  shout  so  loud, 

Some  angel,  home  returning,  well  might  think, 

That  unawares  he  trod  near  Tophet's  brink, 

And  heard  the  demons,  with  infuriate  yell, 

Burst  their  dark  chains,  and  storm  the  gates  of  hell ! 

x. 

Oh  bear  me,  ye  impetuous  gales  that  sweep 
On  wings  of  storm  across  the  Indian  deep, 
Past  the  broad  belt,  where  sickly  Sirius  shines, 
Where  plants  luxuriate,  but  where  Virtue  pines  ! 
There  prowls  the  Plague-fiend,  'mid  the  general  hush 
Of  night,  a  nation's  budding  joys  to  crush. 


JASODA.  Ill 

Thick  hurtling  on  the  air,  by  his  hot  breath 
Empoisoned,  fly  the  fire-tipt  shafts  of  death ; 
If  but  his  shadow  o'er  the  waters  pass, 
They  turn  into  a  green  and  slimy  mass ; 
Men's  hearts  for  fear  fail  at  his  bloodshot  gaze, 
And  melt  away  as  wax  before  the  blaze. 

XI. 

But  deadlier  than  all  plagues  that  hovered  o'er 
Old  Memphis,  or  the  jungles  of  Jessore,0 
There  sullen  Superstition  scowls  unblest ; 
A  row  of  sculls  adorns  her  shrivelled  breast : 
Her  hundred  hands  a  hundred  scourges  shake, 
Each  scourge  a  knotted,  writhing,  hissing  snake. 
Frowning  upon  Orissa's  dreary  coasts,7 
A  fane  as  gloomy  as  her  faith  she  boasts ; 
A  sandy  Golgotha  around  it  lies, 
Strewn  with  the  bleaching  bones  of  centuries  ; 
Ere  the  last  victim  festers  in  decay, 
Vultures  and  jackals  battle  o'er  the  prey. 

XII. 

"  Ye  linger,  slaves  !  "  the  Fiend  relentless  calls, 

"  The  gods  are  wroth,  haste  ere  their  vengeance  falls ! " 

Her  scorpions  hiss  ;  the  hook,  the  spike,  the  car, 

Tell  how  omnipotent  her  orders  are ; 

The  smiling  babe  she  tosses  to  the  flood, 

Spurns  Nature's  laws,  and  writes  her  own  in  blood. 


112  JASODA. 

xm. 

Speed  the  blest  hour,  by  ancient  seers  foreshown, 
Truth's  happier  reign  o'er  all  that  burning  zone ! 
By  Bentinck  ushered,  spread  the  triumph  far/ 
The  Golden  Age  of  the  Tenth  Avatar  ; 9 
Mercy,  instead  of  Sacrifice,  abound, 
And  Brama  fall,  like  Dagon,  to  the  ground ; 
A  purer  faith  supplant  the  impious  shrine, 
And  all  be  Christ's  from  Indus  to  the  Line ! 


NOTES    TO    JASODA. 


(1.)  Through  Indrcfs  heaven. 

Indra  is  king  of  the  inferior  heaven,  where  reside  the 
330,000,000  lesser  gods,  and  those  mortals  whose  merits  elevate 
them  thither.  He  was  preceded  by  seven  dynasties,  and  will  be 
followed  by  seven  others.  His  heaven  is  eight  hundred  miles  in 
circumference,  and  forty  miles  high.  In  voluptuousness  it  rivals 
the  paradise  of  Mohammed. 

(2.)  The  mystic  O'M. 

The  Hindoos  are  reluctant  to  pronounce  the  name  of  the 
Supreme  Being ;  and  to  hear  this  monosyllable  uttered  by  a 
stranger  fills  them  with  horror.  It  is  compounded  of  the  three 
letters,  A.  U.  M ;  denoting  the  sacred  Trimurti,  or  Hindoo  Trin- 
ity, Brama,  Yishnoo,  and  Siva.  The  esoteric  doctrine  maintains 
a  great  eternal  essence,  the  Soul  of  the  Universe ;  an  emanation 
from  which,  the  goddess  Sattee,  by  the  shadow  of  her  eyes  on 
the  waters  of  Chaos, 'produced  three  Eggs,  from  which  sprang 
the  Sacred  Triad.  The  Sattee,  or  Suttee,  is  intended  to  com- 
memorate mis  goddess  having  burnt  herself  to  avenge  a  fancied 
insult.  I  am  indebted  to  the  Rev.  W.  W.  Scudder  for  a  transla- 
tion of  the  celebrated  Gayathri,  the  most  sacred  of  all  their 
forms  of  prayer.  In  Tamil  it  runs  thus:  "  Om — poor — puver — 
surer — tatsavcthnru — varene — yam — parko — thayvascya — themaJce 
— theyoyona—perasothayut."  The  translation  is  as  follows  : 
"O'M,  earth,  sky,  heavens!  We  meditate  on  that  adorable 
light  of  the  resplendent  sun  ;  may  it  direct  our  intellects  !  " 


114  NOTES     TO     JASODA. 

(3.)  Christina. 

Chrishna  was  an  incarnation  of  Vishnoo,  in  the  form  of  a 
shepherd.  «  He  was  beloved  by  fourteen  thousand  milkmaids, 
and  multiplied  himself  into  as  many  shepherds,  so  that  each 
maid  believed  herself  sole  mistress  of  his  affections.  The  car  of 
Juggernaut,  or  Jagger-Nath  (which  means,  The  Lord  of  the 
World),  is  intended  to  represent  this  Hindoo  Don  Juan  taking 
the  milkmaids  to  ride  in  his  chariot. 

(4.)  The  rites  theurgic. 

Theurgy  differed  from  magic  and  necromancy  in  being  the 
invocation  of  good  gods.     (See  St.  Augustine's  City  of  God,  bk. 
c.  9.)     Deva  is  the  Sanscrit  for  Deity. 

(5.)   Yama  we  dread. 

Yama,  or  Yuma,  is  the  Indian  Pluto.     His  tribunal  is  at  the 
uth  Pole. 

(6.)  The  jungles  of  Jessore. 

The  Asiatic  cholera  first  appeared  in  1817,  in  Jessore.  Unu- 
sually heavy  rains  had  made  the  marshes  and  jungles  of  the  Sun- 
derbunds,  along  the  Delta  of  the  Ganges,  one  vast  sheet  of  stag- 
nant water. 

(7.)  Orissa's  dreary  coasts. 

In  Orissa  stands  the  famous  temple  of  Vishnoo,  or  Jugger- 
naut. It  is  built  of  coarse  red  granite.  The  scenery  is  dreary 
in  the  extreme,  and  Buchanan,  in  his  Researches,  tells  of  quanti- 
ties of  pilgrims'  bones,  which  he  saw  bleaching,  unburied,  on  the 
sands  of  the  sea-coast. 

(8.)  By  Bentinck  ushered. 

The  Suttee  was  prohibited  by  Lord  William  Bentinck,  Gov- 
ernor-General of  India,  in  1829,  not  without  violent  opposition 
from  the  Brahmins.  The  word  Sati,  according  to  Sir  William 
Jones,  signifies  purity ;  and  is  hence  appropriated  to  the  highest 
act  of  self-devotion. 


XOTES     TO     JASODA.  115 

(9.)  The  Tenth  Avatar. 

The  Tenth  Avatar,  or  Incarnation  of  Vishnoo  the  Preserver, 
is  looked  for  with  intense  solicitude  by  the  Hindoos.  At  the  ex- 
piration of  the  Iron  Age,  he  will  descend  from  heaven  on  a  white 
winged  horse,  armed  with  a  scimetar,  and  destroy  Infidelity. 
The  Golden  Age  will  immediately  succeed.  It  is  impossible  not 
to  be  reminded  of  John's  description  in  the  Apocalypse,  xix. 
11-16. 


MISCELLANEOUS    POEMS. 


THE   TRIUMPH    OF   DAVID. 

1  Samuel  xviii.  6,  7. 

What  mean  tnose  sounds  that  break  upon  the  ear, 
Like  martial  music,  faint  by  turns  and  clear  ? 
'Tis  Saul's  returning  legions,  conquest-crowned, 
With  captive  banners  trailing  on  the  ground. 
But  who  is  he,  the  youth  that  leads  the  host, 
His  years  too  tender  for  so  high  a  trust ; 
Before  him  borne  a  grim  and  gory  head, 
Of  giant  size,  upon  a  giant  blade  ? 

Full  forty  days  the  champion  called  to  fight, 
Full  forty  days  no  warrior  sought  his  sight. 
In  vain  the  king  to  tempt  with  honors  tried, 
In  vain  he  roused  the  veteran  soldier's  pride ; 
None  with  the  giant  challenger  could  cope, 
Or  in  th'  unequal  combat  safety  hope. 

Then  left  the  stripling  David  flock  and  crook, 
His  arms  a  sling  and  pebbles  from  the  brook. 
With  scorn  the  giant  looked  upon  the  lad, 
And  for  a  jest  his  near  approach  he  bad. 


120  THE     TRIUMPH      OF     DAVID. 

Ill-timed  his  mirth  !  the  pebble  smote  his  brain, 
And  his  huge  bulk  fell  thundering  on  the  plain. 
Their  champion  fall'n,  the  foe  began  to  quail, 
And  panic-stricken  fled  from  Elah's  vale. 
Hot  the  pursuit.     The  roads  to  Gath  that  led, 
Ekron  and  Ascalon,  were  choked  with  dead. 
Saul,  the  young  shepherd's  prOwess  to  reward, 
Made  him  the  captain  of  his  royal  guard. 
Forth  rush  the  multitude,  intent  to  meet 
And  With  triumphal  pomp  the  brave  to  greet ; 
Gay  smiles  each  countenance  with  pleasure  light, 
That  late  was  ashy  pale  with  sore  affright ; 
The  magistrates  th'  advancing  troops  await, 
And  elders  ranged  in  order  by  the  gate. 

They  come  !  the  cornets  sound  their  shrill  salute, 
The  cymbals  clash,  nor  are  the  sackbuts  mute ; 
The  sky  is  rent  with  long  acclaim  and  loud, 
And  not  a  voice  is  still  in  all  the  crowd. 
A  band  of  white-robed  maidens  next  advance, 
And  carol,  as  they  lead  the  graceful  dance. 

Sweet  is  the  mellow  flute,  at  twilight  still, 
And  sweet  the  music  of  the  tinkling  rill ; 
Sweet  are  the  strains  from  lark  or  linnet's  throat, 
That  on  the  liquid  noon  exulting  float ; 
But  sweeter  far  a  maiden's  voice  than  these, 
Rich  in  exuberant,  gushing  melodies, 


THE     TRIUMPH     OF     DAVID.  121 

From  a  young  happy  heart  that  have  their  birth, 

In  very  wantonness  of  innocent  mirth. 

Such  are  the  notes,  so  gay,  so  jubilant, 

The  while  their  choral  hymn  the  virgins  chant. 

i. 

See,  he  comes  !  Vith  pipe  and  tabor 

Greet  the  hero's  safe  return  ! 
Shivered  is  the  hostile  sabre  ; 

Maids  and  matrons  cease  to  mourn ! 
Flow'rets  strew  of  beauty  peerless, 

Twine  we  wreaths  of  glory's  leaf, 
For  the  brow  of  Valor  fearless, 

For  the  conquering  Warrior-Chief ! 
Saul  his  thousand  foes  o'erthrew, 
David  his  ten  thousands  slew. 

II. 

"  I'll  pursue  and  give  to  slaughter," 

Cried  the  vaunting  enemy, 
"  Ambushed  by  the  springs  of  water, 

None  shall  'scape  the  archer's  eye." 
Long,  from  latticed  window  leaning, 

Shall  Philistia's  mothers  look  ; 
Of  their  sons'  delay  complaining, 

Counting  up  the  spoil  they  took. 
Saul  his  thousand  foes  o'erthrew, 
David  his  ten  thousands  slew, 
6 


122  THE     TRIUMPH     OF     DAVID. 

III. 

The  brave  son  of  Jesse  staid  not 

'Mid  the  bleatings  of  the  fold  ; 
Though  in  twisted  mail  arrayed  not, 

Shield  or  helm  inlaid  with  gold. 
'Mid  the  battle's  uproar  deaf'ning, 

Shone  he  in  the  murky  fight, 
Like  the  star  that  leads  the  evening, 

Flashing  splendor  on  the  night. 
Saul  his  thousand  foes  o'erthrew, 
David  his  ten  thousands  slew. 

IV. 

Lord  of  Hosts  !  in  dread  and  danger, 

Patron  and  Protector  thou  ! 
At  thy  call  appears  th'  Avenger, 

At  thy  frown  th'  oppressors  bow. 
Shattered  is  the  arm  gigantic, 

Hushed  the  tongue  of  blasphemy  ; 
Fled  the  alien  army  frantic, 

Eings  the  shout  of  victory. 
Saul  his  thousand  foes  o'erthrew, 
David  his  ten  thousands  slew. 


THE   TRIUMPH    OF   MUSIC. 

AN    ODE. 

2  Kings  iii.  12—15. 

I. 

Three  kings  before  the  prophet  stood, 
And  meekly  for  his  counsel  sued ; 
But  of  the  royal  suppliants,  two, 
Full  well  the  holy  prophet  knew, 
Though  forced  to  ask  his  guiding  word, 
Despised  the  prophet  and  his  Lord. 

II. 

He  cared  not,  in  his  righteous  scorn, 
How  high  their  state,  how  nobly  born, 
And,  silent,  would  have  turned  away, 
But  Judah's  king,  less  vile  than  they, 
Though  leagued  to  humble  Moab's  pride, 
Had  ne'er  his  fathers'  God  denied, 
Nor  e'er  had  bowed  at  other  shrine 
Than  that  his  fathers  owned  divine. 
A  prince  so  generous  and  so  true, 
The  seer  was  loth  should  perish  too  ; 


124  THE     TllIUMPH     OF     MUSIC. 

Snatched  must  he  be  from  threat'ning  doom, 
Nor  find  in  Edom's  wilds  a  tomb. 

in. 

"  Bring  me  the  minstrel !     Let  him  stand 
And  touch  the  harp  with  skilful  hand  !  " 
And  straight  his  hand  the  minstrel  flings 
Gracefully  o'er  the  trembling  strings. 

IV. 

Soft  as  vernal  zephyrs  rise, 
Fit  to  soothe  and  tranquillize, 
Mild  as  moonlight  on  the  main 
Floats  the  clear  and  silvery  strain ; 
Like  a  fountain's  languid  hum, 
Whose  murmurs  heavily,  drowsily  come, 
As  it  purls  across  its  pebbly  bed, 
Beneath  the  bending  willow's  shade. 

V. 

Now  in  cadence  sad  and  slow, 
Plaintively  the  numbers  flow ; 
Wandering,  wild,  and  strangely  pleasing, 
All  the  springs  of  passion  seizing, 
Like  a  spirit's  thrilling  wail, 
Borne  upon  the  fitful  blast, 
When  the  maiden's  cheek  turns  deadly  pale, 
And  the  startled  traveller  shrinks  aghast. 


THE     TRIUMPH     OF     MUSIC.  125 

VI. 

But  livelier  soon  the  measure  bounds, 

Lighter  the  flying  finger  bounds, 
And  wakes  a  lay 
So  brisk  and  gay, 

A  hermit's  lagging  blood  'twould  quicken ; 
Like  the  spirit-stirring  note 
From  the  trumpet's  brazen  throat, 
When  the  brave  their  lives  devote, 

And  rush  where  dangers  thicken. 

vn. 

But  hark  !  the  minstrel  strikes  a  heavier  tone, 
The  lowest,  deepest,  gravest  chords  upon ; 
Slowly  and  grandly,  how  it  rolls  along, 
A  full,  majestic,  swelling  tide  of  song! 
So  the  pent  waves,  when  once  the  barrier  rock 
No  longer  can  sustain  the  mighty  shock, 
At  once,  precipitate,  down,  tremendous  pour, 
With  thundering,  sullen,  deep,  and  long-resounding 
roar ! 

vm. 

Hold,  minstrel,  hold  thy  hand  !  he  speaks ! 
From  his  long  trance  the  prophet  breaks ; 
Gazing  intent,  with  upward  eye, 
Dissolved  as  'twere  in  ecstacy. 


126  THE     TRIUMPH     OF     MUSIC. 

A  heavenly  influence  inspires  ; 

He  kindles  with  diviner  fires  ; 

He  bids  the  waiting  kings  dismiss  their  fear, 

And  tells  the  glorious  triumph  they  shall  share. 

IX. 

Hail !  heavenly  art !  whose  potent  spell 

Can  bid  tumultuous  passion  cease  ; 
The  tempest  of  the  soul  can  quell, 

And  whisper  peace. 
Should  mine  be  e'er  those  sombre  hours, 
When  passion  madly  overpowers, 
Oh  !  for  some  friendly  hand  to  roll 
A  flood  of  music  o'er  my  soul ! 

So,  soothed  to  rest,  like  his  of  old, 
Shall  my  rapt  spirit  rise, 

In  holy  calm,  prepared  to  hold 
High  converse  with  the  skies. 


THE   EVENING   OF   LIFE. 

"  At  evening  time  it  shall  be  light."— Zech.  xiv.  7. 

Oh  !  grant,  sweet  Heaven,  a  lingering  ray 
To  cheer  me  on  my  lonely  way, 

And  guide  me  down  the  vale ! 
The  evening  shades  are  length'ning  still, 
The  evening  dews  are  falling  chill, 

And  strength  and  courage  fail. 

The  early  friends  I  sadly  mourn, 
Who,  one  by  one,  were  from  me  torn, 

As  mourns  the  widowed  dove ; 
Pve  none  my  joys  or  griefs  to  share, 
I've  nothing  left  to  hope  or  fear, 

I've  nothing  left  to  love. 

Then  grant,  sweet  Heaven,  a  lingering  ray, 
To  cheer  me  on  my  lonely  way, 

And  guide  me  down  the  vale  ! 
Then  let  me  gently  sink  to  rest 
Upon  my  Saviour's  friendly  breast, 

Whose  love  can  never  fail ! 


TOO    LATE. 

Matthew  xxii.  1—13. 


'Tis  a  nuptial  festival ; 

And  the  grand  old  palace-hall 

Streams  with  music,  streams  with  light, 

Eaising  rapture  to  its  height. 


II. 

But  without  the  gate,  behold  ! 
Shivering  in  the  night-wind  cold, 
Cowers  a  group  of  wretches,  pale, 
Lifting  up  a  piteous  wail. 


in. 

Early  had  they  bidden  been, 
But  despised  the  festal  scene ; 
Taken  up  with  trivial  things, 
Merchandise  or  pleasurings. 


TOO     LATE.  129 


IV. 


Now  they  come — but  come  too  late, 
Knocking  at  the  palace-gate ; — 
Housed  are  all ;  the  door  is  shut ; 
And  the  Warder  knows  them  not. 


Bitterly  their  fault  they  rue, 
Clamorous  for  admission  sue ; 
But,  though  tears  should  fall  like  rain, 
Ne'er  the  portal  opes  again. 

VI. 

Heaven's  the  palace,  Christ  the  king, 
Life  the  time  of  entering ; 
Prompt  the  moment  seize,  before 
Death  shall  come  and  shut  the  door ! 


THE  APOSTLE  PAUL  AT  MALTA. 

Oh,  who  would  build  upon  the  changing  flood ; 

Or  trust  the  air  his  footsteps  to  sustain ; 
Or  lean  on  the  capricious  multitude, 

Than  changing  flood,  than  empty  air,  more  vain  ? 

"  A  god  !  a  god  !  "  cries  Lystra,  "  oxen  bring, 
Milk-white,  with  gilded  horns  and  fillets  gay  !  " — 

And  scarce  can  Paul  restrain  the  offering, 
Paul — stoned  and  left  for  dead  another  day. 

For  him  Galatia  would  her  ready  eyes 

Have  plucked  out ;  God's  angel  not  more  dear  ; 

But  soon,  estranged  by  error's  witcheries, 
To  gall  her  fondness  turns,  her  love  to  fear. 

With  generous  haste  the  shipwrecked  crew  he  leads, 
Shivering  and  numbed,  on  Melita's  wild  strand, 

Where  fagots  pour  a  cheerful  blaze,  nor  heeds 
The  viper  fastening  on  his  busy  hand. 


PAUL     AT     MALTA.  131 

"  A  murderer,  sure  !  "  the  Punic  people  cry, 

"  Spared,  for  more  horrid  fate,  from  ocean's  brine !  n 

But  when  nor  harm  nor  swelling  they  espy, 
Their  fickle  fancy  owns  him  as  divine. 

Brave  Paul !  no  thought  of  human  praise  or  blame 
Thy  well-poised  soul  from  duty  could  allure ; 

Onward  thy  course,  come  honor  or  come  shame, 
Conscience  thy  guide,  and  Christ  thy  cynosure. 

No  sea-girt  cliff,  patient  of  driving  rains, 

And  lashed  by  angry  wind  and  brawling  wave, 

Tempest  and  thunder  more  unmoved  sustains, 

While  harmless  round  its  base  the  breakers  rave.* 

Be  thou  our  model !  ours  the  same  high  part, 

Ours  the  same  loyal  faith  to  Heaven's  loved  Lord, 

Ours  the  same  eagle  eye  and  lion  heart, 

And  ours,  from  Christ's  dear  hand,  the  same  reward  ! 

*  "Ma  come  alle  procelle  esposto  monte, 
Che  percosso  dai  flutti  al  mar  sovraste, 
Sostien  fermo  in  se  stesso  i  tuoni  e  Tonte 
Del  cielo  irato  e  i  yenti  e  l'onde  vaste." 

Tasso,  Gier.  Lib.  c.  ix.  st.  31. 


I'LL   THINK    OF   THEE. 

"  In  the  night  his  song  shall  be  with  me.1'— Ps.  xlii.  8 
Composed  during  a  night  of  sleeplessness. 

While  others,  O  my  God  !  refuse 
To  keep  in  mind  thy  memory, 

How  can  my  grateful  heart  but  choose 
To  think  of  Thee ! 

Thine  eye  had  pitied  me,  ere  yet 

I  saw  my  hapless  misery  ; 
My  Father  !  can  I  e'er  forget 

To  think  of  Thee! 

When  Nature  shall  her  beauties  spread, 
Hill,  dale,  and  brook,  and  shady  tree, 

I'll  mark  the  wisdom  there  displayed, 
And  think  of  Thee. 

Should  tempests  black  the  sky  deform, 
And  men  and  herds  to  shelter  flee, 

I'll  smile  to  look  beyond  the  storm, 
And  think  of  Thee. 


I'LL     THINK      OF     THEE.  133 

Should  prosperous  breezes  fill  my  sail, 
Smooth  wafting  o'er  life's  happy  sea, 

Grateful,  O  let  me  never  fail 
To  think  of  Thee ! 

And  if  to  earth  my  hopes  should  fall, 
And  friends  withhold  their  sympathy, 

Then  as  my  portion  and  my  all, 
I'll  think  of  Thee. 

By  doubts  and  fears,  if,  sore  distrest, 

Thy  charming  smile  I  cannot  see, 
Still  on  thy  promises  I'll  rest, 

And  think  of  Thee. 

Whene'er  th'  uneasy  couch  I  press, 

Nor  slumber  brings  relief  to  me, 
Amid  those  hours  of  wakefulness 

I'll  think  of  Thee! 

And  when  is  hushed  my  feeble  voice, 
And  loosed  the  silver  cord  shall  be, 

Then  may  my  parting  soul  rejoice 
To  think  of  Thee  ! 


SUBMISSION, 
i. 

Child  of  sorrow,  child  of  clay, 
Weeping  through  life's  wintry  day, 
Meekly  fold  thy  hands,  and  pray, 
And  in  sweet  submission  say, 
"  Thy  will  be  done  !  " 

II. 

Child  of  sorrow,  child  of  grief, 
Art  thou  sighing  for  relief  ? 
Oh,  bethink  thee,  life  is  brief, 
Sow  in  tears,  and  full  thy  sheaf 
At  harvest  home.* 

in. 
Child  of  sorrow,  child  of  hope, 
Cast  away  the  cowl  and  rope, 
Nor  in  gloomy  cloister  grope, 
But  to  God's  blest  sunshine  ope 
Thine  eye  and  heart. 

*  Ps.  xxvi.  C). 


SUBMISSION.  135 

IV. 

Child  of  sorrow,  child  of  heaven, 
By  misfortune  roughly  driven, 
See  the  cloud  of  trouble  riven, 
See  the  Bow  of  Promise  given, 
Thy  fears  to  soothe ! 

v. 
Child  of  sorrow,  child  of  prayer, 
Bravely  climb  Grief's  narrow  stair, 
Leading  to  a  purer  air, 
Widening  to  a  prospect  fair, 

The  summit  gained  !  * 

*  Ezek.  xli.  7. 


A    TKILOGY, 

ON  THE  NATIVITY,  THE  CRUCIFIXION,  AND  THE 
RESURRECTION. 


I. 

%    Christmas   $ShIIh&, 

OF  PROVIDENCE  AND  THE  EMPEROR. 

The  Emperor  sate  on  his  chair  of  state, 

And  his  courtiers  stood  around ; 
And  with  sinful  pride  was  his  heart  elate, 
As  he  thought  of  his  power  and  his  treasures  great, 

And  the  world  to  his  footstool  bound. 

"  This  Rome,"  said  he,  "  so  rich  and  grand, 

I  found  it  of  dingy  brick  ; 
But  now,  beneath  my  fostering  hand, 
Long  lines  of  marble  palaces  stand, 

And  statues  that  all  but  speak. 


A     CHRISTMAS      BALLAD.  137 

"  And  where  is  the  king  that  against  my  control 

A  finger  dares  to  move  ? 
My  empire  stretches  from  pole  to  pole, 
"Where  the  farthest  waves  of  ocean  roll, 

And  the  painted  savages  rove." 

Then  flew  a  sprite,  a  lying  sprite, 

Like  that  to  King  Ahab  sent, 
To  tempt  him  to  rush  to  the  fatal  fight ; 
And  of  God  permitted,  this  lying  sprite 

To  the  vain  old  Emperor  went. 

And  the  sprite,  he  perched  on  the  ivory  chair, 

Unseen  by  mortal  eye, 
And  he  whispered  into  the  Emperor's  ear, 
To  number  the  people  far  and  near 

That  owned  his  sovereignty. 

The  flattery  worked  in  the  monarch's  breast, 

And  unto  his  nobles  he  spake, 
"  Go,  ride  ye  east,  and  ride  ye  west, 
And  of  all  that  are  subject  to  my  behest 

An  exact  enrolment-  make." 

But  little  dreamt,  when  he  spake  that  word, 

Great  Caesar  upon  his  throne, 
Little  dreamt  Cyrenius,  as  fast  he  spurred, 
Or  Jewry,  that  flocked  to  be  registered, 

It  was  all  for  Mary's  Son. 


138  A     CHRISTMAS     BALLAD. 

Mary,  she  travels  four  weary  days, 

To  be  by  Joseph's  side  ; 
Joseph  the  governor's  eall  obeys  ; 
The  governor's  will  the  monarch  sways  ; 

And  the  monarch  is  swayed  by  pride. 

Dear  God  !  thy  hand  the  whole  did  frame, 

And  touched  the  secret  springs, 
To  bring  the  Lord  Christ  to  Bethlehem, 
Heir  of  great  David's  ancient  name, 

And  the  throne  of  the  Hebrew  kings. 

Oh  !  cease,  ye  scoffers,  your  unbelief, 

Nor  longer  babble  of  chance  ; 
For  the  meanest  peasant,  the  mightiest  chief, 
The  wheeling  sparrow,  the  falling  leaf, 

Are  the  care  of  Providence. 

II. 

%,   Cljrjettobg   0it  i\t  (Knuifmou* 

i. 
Woe  !  woe ! 

Oh  !  heart  of  sorrow,  overflow, 

For  Nature's  self,  or  Nature's  Lord,  expires  !  * 

Li  the  broad  heaven  forgetful  of  his  fires, 

*  Sec  the  remarkable  exclamation  ascribed  to  Dionysius  the 
Areopagite,  in  Lardner,  vol.  VII.  p.  124.     He  saw  the  darkness 


THRENODY     ON    THE    CRUCIFIXION.  139 

The  sun  doth  blindly  go, 

A  mourner  sad  and  slow, 

And  wrapped  in  grief  and  horror,  shuts  his  eye, 

His  light  refusing  to  man's  treachery. 

II. 
Old  Mother  Earth 

Feels  the  dread  shock  through  all  her  nerves, 
And  from  her  balance  swerves, 
And  trembles  like  a  ship  by  surges  struck ; 
Ne'er  since  her  birth, 

Not  when  man's  impious  hand  the  fruit  did  pluck, 
So  quaked  she  to  her  inmost  heart, 
As  if  her  very  frame  would  all  asunder  part. 

in. 
Upon  that  cross-crowned  hill 
All  is  dark,  and  all  is  still, 
Dark  as  night,  and  still  as  death  ; 
Fear  chains  each  foot,  and  holds  each  breath. 
All  is  hushed,  and  all  is  still, 
On  that  low  and  cross-crowned  hill, 
Save  a  faint  moan  of  pain, 
And  a  dull  plashing,  as  of  rain, 
Dropping,  dropping,  dropping  slow, 
Into  the  crimson  pools  that  stain  the  ground  below. 

of  the  Passion  in  Egypt,  and  said,  "  Either  the  Deity  suffers,  or 
sympathizes  with  one  who  suffers  ! " 


140         THRENODY    ON    THE    CRUCIFIXION. 
IV. 

Now  is  the  hour 

Of  Darkness  and  its  Prince.     With  bloodshot  eye 

Through  the  close  air  the  gathering  demons  glower, 

And  boast  their  horrid  triumph  nigh. 

They  feast  upon  each  groan, 

Nor  dream  that  cross  shall  prove  a  judgment  throne,* 

Whence  they,  in  shameful  flight, 

Like  baleful  birds  of  night, 

Back  to  their  dismal  dens  shall  swift  be  driven, 

Scarred  with  the  thunder  of  avenging  heaven  ; 

While  to  the  cursed  tree, 

Death,  and  Death's  master,  nailed  fast  shall  be.f 

v. 

Beyond  the  grisly  band, 
Hover  the  legions  of  the  blest ;  each  hand 
Grasping  tight  his  heaven-bathed  sword,J 
Waiting  impatient  for  a  signal  word, 

*  "The  judgment,  because  the  Prince  of  this  world  is 
judged." — John  xvi.  11. 

f  "  That  through  death  he  might  destroy  him  that  had  the 
power  of  death,  that  is,  the  devil." — Heb.  ii.  14. 

X  "For  my  sword  shall  be  bathed  in  heaven. " — Isa.  xxxiv.  5. 
"  Inebriatus,"  says  Lowth,  "  drunk  with  blood."  "In  the  sight 
of  God,"  says  Prof.  Alexander,  "the  sword,  though  not  yet  ac- 
tually used,  was  already  dripping  blood."  But  Dr.  Gill  thinks 
the  allusion  may  be  to  the  bathing  of  swords  in  some  sort  of 
liquor,  to  harden  or  brighten  them,  preparatory  to  use. 


THRENODY     ON    THE    CRUCIFIXION.  141 

To  burst  upon  the  caitiff  crowd 

Like  lightning  from  a  summer  cloud. 

For  they  have  not  forgot  the  fight, 

When  all  those  rebel  Sons  of  Night 

Down  heaven's  steep  battlements  they  hurled 

Into  the  nether  world. 

They  look  and  long,  but  look  and  long  in  vain, 

Their  eager  zeal  they  must  awhile  restrain ; 

No  strengthening  angel  has  a  mission  now, 

To  wipe  the  bloody  sweat  from  off  that  beaded  brow. 

VI. 

Woe !  woe  ! 

Oh,  heart  of  sorrow,  overflow  ! 

Life's  Lord  doth  die  ; 

Of  mysteries  the  mystery, 

Confounding  Nature's  wonted  laws  ; 

A  God  the  sufferer,  and  man's  sins  the  cause  ! 

To  save  our  hearts  grief  that  none  utter  may, 

Upon  the  cross  he  bled  ; 

He  gathered  all  the  thorns  that  strewed  our  way, 

And  twined  them  round  His  own  dear  head  !  * 


*  Tertullian  says  the  crown  was  made  of  thorns  and  nettles, 
as  a  figure  of  the  evils  of  sin ;  but  the  efficacy  of  the  cross  has 
taken  them  away,  blunting  all  the  stings  of  death  upon  the  pa- 
tient head  of  the  divine  sufferer:  "In  Dominici  capitis  toleran- 
tia  obtundens" — De  Cor.  Mil.,  c.  xiv 


142         THRENODY    ON    THE    CRUCIFIXION. 

VII. 

By  the  thorns  and  by  the  spear  ; 

By  the  death-pang  most  severe  ; 

By  Thy  wound's  unclosed  smart ; 

By  Thine  aching,  breaking  heart ; 

By  the  unknown  agonies  * 

Of  Thine  awful  sacrifice  ; 

By  Thy  dying  act  of  grace, 

Pardoning  the  merciless  ; 

Tremblingly  we  Thee  entreat, 

Christ  most  patient !  Christ  most  sweet ! 

For  us  sinners  intercede, 

Now,  and  at  our  utmost  need  ! 

Matchless  martyr  !  Sorrow's  Son  ! 

Bearing  burdens  not  thine  own  ; 

Let  our  sins  all  buried  be 

~Deep  in  Joseph's  tomb  with  thee  ! 

*  So  read  the  Greek  liturgies  :  4i  dta  ruv  ayvooo'Tcw  crov  irafrrj- 
ixaroivy  See  Barrow  on  the  Creed,  s.  xxyL  Those  unknown 
agonies  were,  beyond  all  doubt,  the  sharpest  of  all. 


EPINICION.  143 

III. 

(Spimewr,  or  Srittmp^al  pgnw  nit  %  ^nrrjeclion .* 

i. 

Ye  bronzed  veterans  of  a  hundred  wars, 
Covered  with  honorable  scars  ! 
What  mean  the  pulse's  altered  beat, 
The  stony  stare,  the  quick  retreat 
Of  blood  that  never  froze  before, 
On  Caspian  or  on  Rhenic  shore  ? 
Is  it  the  morning-star's  bright  glance, 
Reflected  back  on  helm  and  lance  ? 
Is  it  the  ray  of  rising  sun, 
Shimmering  on  shield  and  habergeon  ? 
Is  it  the  lightning,  sharp  and  red, 
That  fills  a  warrior's  heart  with  dread  1 

More  awful,  far, 

Than  rising  sun  or  morning-star, 
Or  sudden  flash  of  blinding  levin, 
That  portent  from  the  bursting  heaven  ! 

*  "  Epinicion,  or  Triumphal  Hymn,"  was  the  name  given  to 
the  Angels'  Song,  "Holy,  holy,  holy!  Lord  God  of  Hosts,"  when 
sung  in  the  ancient  communion  service.  It  was  followed  by  the 
Allelujah,  which,  in  some  churches,  was  never  sung  but  once  a 
year ;  that  is,  at  Easter,  in  honor  of  the  resurrection  of  our 
Lord.  So  in  the  Liturgy  ascribed  to  St.  James,  it  is  called  uthe 
triumphal  song  of  the  magnificence  of  thy  glory." — Bingham's 
Chr.  Antiq.,  vol.  V.  pp.  32,  246. 


144  epixiciox. 

To  match  a  foe  of  mortal  mould, 

Trenchant  blade,  and  linked  mail, 
And  sinewy  arm  may  eath  *  avail  ; 
But  where  the  champion  bold, 
His  steel  against  Unearthly  Might  to  aim, 
That  comes  with  earthquake  tread,  and  eyes  of  flame  ? 

II. 
Ye  haughty  demons  !  but  of  late 
Insolent  with  glutted  hate, 

What  disconcerts  you  now, 

And  gathers  tenfold  blackness  on  your  brow  % 
Ye  deemed  a  signal  triumph  was  achieved, 
When  the  first  mother  ye  deceived, 

And  planted  in  Earth's  breast  the  thorn  \ 
Ye  deemed  redemption  nipped  in  the  bud, 
When  treason  sold  the  sacred  blood, 

And  crucified  the  Woman-Born. 

Behold  the  Hostage  free  ! 
As  when  refreshed  with  sleep  a  giant  wakes, 
Like  willow  withes  his  bonds  he  breaks ; 

Ended  is  his  and  our  captivity. 
His  foot  is  on  the  usurper's  neck, 
The  infernal  gates  with  terror  quake ; 
And  fastened  to  his  girdle  are  the  keys, 
To  ope  or  shut,  henceforth,  as  he  alone  shall  please. 

*  Easily.     "The  fort  is  eath  to  enter." — Fairfax's  Tasso. 


EPINICION.  145 

Back  to  your  dens,  ye  disappointed  fiends, 
And  howl  your  empty  curses  to  the  winds  ! 

in. 
Ye  angels  !    in  whose  looks  do  meet 
Awe,  wonder,  joy,  in  union  strange  and  sweet ; 
Again,  again, 
Lift  up  the  jocund  chant, 
With  chorus  jubilant, 
That  sounded  erst  on  Ephrath's  midnight  plain  ! 

"  From  spheres  of  highest  worth, 
From  humblest  depths  of  earth, 

Glory  to  God ! 
From  seraphs'  fire-tipt  tongues, 
From  infants'  lisping  songs, 

Glory  to  God ! 
From  loftiest  cherubims, 
From  martyrs'  dying  hymns, 

Glory  to  God  ! 
Welcome  love's  happy  reign, 
Goodwill  and  peace  to  men, 

Glory  to  God ! 
Thrice  holy  !  Lord  most  high  ! 
All  Earth  aloud  doth  cry 

Glory  to  God  !  " 

The  Conqueror  comes  !  the  morning  light  reveals 
God's  foe  and  man's  bound  to  his  chariot-wheels. 

7 


14G  EP  INI  CI  ON. 

Celestial  cohorts,  close  your  serried  files, 

And  through    long   streets   of  stars,  with  shout   and 

trump,'*v 
And  banners  spread,  conduct  the  solemn  pomp  ; 
While  rapture  every  sinless  bosom  thrills. 
On  golden  hinge  expand  the  pearly  gate, 
The  poor  Estray, 

That  once  shot  madly  from  its  sphere  away, 
'Mid  heaven's  high  sanctities  to  reinstate  ! 

IV. 

Ye  veiled  women  !  starting  at  each  sound, 
Bending  your  tearful  eyes  upon  the  ground, 
What  mean  those  early  feet,  those  spices  rare  ? 

Come  ye  to  cull  the  choicest  flowers, 

In  morning's  fresh  and  dewy  hours, 
A  fragrant  chaplet  to  prepare  ? 

All  unheeded,  all  unseen, 

Fountain,  flower,  and  myrtle  hedge, 

Alley  trim,  and  boscage  green  ; 

Graver  cares  your  thoughts  engage, 

Wondering  much  who  shall  unlock 

The  secrets  of  the  caverned  rock. 

*  "  God  is  gone  up  with  a  shout,  the  Lord  with  the  sound  of 
a  trumpet ! v — Psalm  xlvii.  5.  This  verse  may  be  recommended 
to  Professor  Longfellow,  and  all  other  lovers  of  the  hexameter, 
afl  B  beautiful  and  faultless  specimen  of  that  measure. 


EPINICIOX.  147 

The  stone  is  rolled  away  !  and  from  your  hearts 
A  load  as  heavy  as  that  stone  departs  ; 
For  with  that  stone  is  rolled  away  the  curse, 
That  cast  a  shadow  o'er  the  universe. 

Mercy's  message  now  proclaim 

In  the  ear  of  Guilt  and  Shame  ; 

Crushed  and  bleeding  hearts  bind  up, 

Tenting  them  with  balmy  hope. 

Bid  the  saint  no  longer  dread 

What  Christ's  touch  hath  hallowed ; 

Radiance  from  the  angel's  face 

Lingers  still  around  the  place. 

Not  in  dust  the  members  groan, 

When  the  Head  is  on  a  throne ; 

Christ  hath  risen  !  our  brother,  He  ! 

Where  our  Kindred  reigns,  reign  we.* 

*  "Ubi  caro  mea  regnat,  ibi  me  regnare  credo." — Augus- 
tine's Meditations. 


DIES    IR^E.* 

Dies  irse,  dies  ilia 
Solvet  sceclum  in  favilla, 
Teste  David  cum  Sybilla. 

Day  of  wrath  !  that  day  is  hasting, 

All  the  world  in  ashes  wasting, 

David  with  the  Sybil  testing. 

Quantus  tremor  est  futurus, 

Quando  Judex  est  Venturas, 

Cuneta  stricte  discussurus  ! 

Oh,  how  great  the  consternation, 
When  the  Judge  shall  take  his  station, 
For  a  strict  investigation  ! 

*  A  version  of  "Dies  Ir^e"  can  hardly  be  classed  among 
Milton's  "things  unattempted  yet  in  prose  or  rhyme,"  since 
there  are  extant  more  than  a  hundred  translations  in  various 
languages.  Those  of  Dr.  Coles  are  among  the  latest  and  best. 
Where  so  many  have  made  the  attempt,  a  new  competitor  needs 
no  apology.  The  present  version  is  offered  to  the  attention  of 
wcholar*!  as  adhering  to  the  literal  words  of  the  original,  at  least 
as  closely  as  any  preceding. 


DIES     IRJE.  149 

Tuba,  mirum  spargens  sonum 

Per  sepulchra  regionum, 

Coget  omnes  ante  thronum. 

Wondrously  the  trumpet  swelling 
Spreads  through  each  sepulchral  dwelling, 
All  before  the  throne  compelling. 

Mors  stupebit  et  natura, 

Quum  resurget  creatura 

Judicanti  responsura. 

Death  and  nature  it  surprises, 
When  from  dust  the  creature  rises, 
Summoned  to  the  great  assizes. 

Liber  scriptus  proferetur, 

In  quo  totum  continetur 

De  quo  mundus  judicetur. 

Then  shall  be  produced  the  volume, 
Proofs  of  guilt  in  every  column, 
For  the  world's  arraignment  solemn. 

Judex  ergo  quum  sedebit, 

Quicquid  latet  apparebit, 

Nil  inultum  remanebit. 

When  the  Judge  begins  th'  inspection, 
Nothing  hid  shall  'scape  detection, 
Nothing  shall  evade  correction. 


150  DIES      IBJB. 

Quod  sum  miser  tunc  dicturus, 
Qucm  patronum  rogaturus, 

Quum  vix  Justus  sit  smirus  ? 

Wretched,  what  shall  I  be  saying, 
To  what  patron  then  be  praying, 
When  the  just  has  fears  dismaying  ? 

Rex  tremendae  majestatis, 

Qui  salvandos  salvas  gratis, 

Salve  me,  fons  pietatis  ! 

King  majestic,  clothed  with  terror, 

Of  salvation  free  conferrer, 

Fount  of  grace,  save  me  from  error  ! 

Rocordare,  Jesu  pie, 

Quod  sum  causa  tuoe  via), 

Ne  me  perdas  ilia  die  ! 

Jesus  !  grant  me  recognition  ; 
Me,  the  object  of  thy  mission, 
That  day,  doom  not  to  perdition  ! 

Qurcrens  me,  sedisti  lassus, 

Redcmisti  crucem  passus  : 

Tantus  labor  non  sit  cassus  ! 

Worn  and  weary  me  thou  soughtest, 
On  the  cross  my  ransom  boughtest, 
Fruitless  leave  not  all  thou  wroughtest ! 


DIES     IR^E.  151 

Juste  Judex  ultionis, 
Donum  fac  remissionis 
Ante  diem  rationis  ! 

Judge  impartial  in  decision, 

Grant  the  gift  of  full  remission 

Ere  the  last  account's  revision  ! 

Ingemisco  tanquam  reus, 
Culpa  rubet  vultus  meus  ; 
Supplicanti  parce,  Deus ! 

Groaning  like  a  guilty  creature, 
-  Blushes  mantling  every  feature, 

Spare,  O  God  !  the  poor  beseecher  ! 

Qui  Mariam  absolvisti, 

Et  latronem  exaudisti, 

Mihi  quoque  spem  dedisti. 

Thou  who  Mary's  guilt  hast  shriven, 
And  hast  heard  the  robber  even, 
Hope  to  me  hast  also  given. 

Preces  meoe  non  sunt  dignce, 

Sed  tu  bonus  fac  benigne 

Ne  perenni  cremer  igne  ! 

Though  my  prayers  deserve  thy  spurning, 
Of  thy  love's  benignant  yearning, 
Snatch  me  from  eternal  burning  ! 


152  DIES     IK  M, 

Inter  oves  locum  prsesta, 

Et  ab  hocdis  me  sequestra, 

Statucns  in  jiarte  dextra  ! 

'Mongst  the  sheep  in  safety  set  me, 
From  the  goats,  oh,  separate  me, 
To  thy  right  hand  elevate  me ! 

Confutatis  maledictis, 

Elammis  acribus  addictis, 

Voca  me  cum  benedictis  ! 

While  the  curst,  their  guilt  confessed, 
To  the  fiercest  flames  are  chased, 
Call  me  upward  with  the  blessed  ! 

Oro  supplex  et  acclinis, 
Cor  contritum  quasi  cinis  ; 
Gere  curam  mei  finis  ! 

Hear  my  lowly,  contrite  sighing  ; 

See  my  heart  as  ashes  lying ; 

To  the  last  thy  care  supplying ! 

Lachrymosa  dies  ilia, 

Qua  resurgct  ex  favilla 

Judicandus  homo  reus  : 

Huic  ergo  parce,  Deus  ! 

Oh,  that  day  of  woe  surprising! 
Guilty  mail  from  ashes  risu 
For  the  judgment  musl  prepare  him: 
Therefore,  God  of  mercy,  -pare  him  ! 


TO    THE    DEITY. 

A  SONNET. 

Being,  incomprehensible  and  dread  ! 

Long  time  have  men  been  feeling  after  Thee, 

And  scanned  the  heavens  in  vain  thy  paths  to  see, 
Piercing  the  clouds  that  wrapt  thine  awful  head ; 
In  vain  the  legendary  rocks  they  read, 

Yet  scarce  spelled  out  one  letter  of  thy  Name. 

Presumptuous  we  appear,  and  much  to  blame, 
Curious  to  pry  where  seraphs  reverent  tread. 
Thou  the  great  Ocean  of  Existence  art, 

Without  a  sounding  and  without  a  shore ; 
While  we  are  but  a  fragmentary  part, 

With  all   the  worlds,  chance   drops   of  spray — no 
more — 
And  of  thy  lightest  breath  the  helpless  sport, 

The  surface  of  Immensity  driven  o'er. 


HOPE. 

A  SOXXET. 

()  Hope  !  the  Echo  of  the  Future,  thou ; 

The  Music  of  a  far-off  March  ;  first  ray 

Of  coming  Joy  ;  the  rosy  flush  and  gay 
Of  dawning  Happiness  ;  bright  haze  that  now 
The  Star  announces,  ere  its  blazing  brow 

Athwart  the  field  of  vision  takes  its  way  ; 

The  soft  Refraction,  which  the  God  of  Day 
Gives  prematurely  to  the  Guebre's  vow. 
Our  Hopes  transformed  Recollections  are  : 

Persons  and  place  and  date  are  changed  ;  not  so 
The  story's  passionate  groundwork,  love,  or  war. 

Past  joys,  past  feelings,  Fancy's  glass  will  show, 
But  varied;  as  we  reproduce  some  rare 
Old  play  with  decorations  new  and  fair. 


GENIUS. 

A    SONNET. 

Majestic  emblem  of  the  Omnipotent, 

Thyself  creative  in  a  lesser  sphere ; 

Unbounded  thy  adventurous  career, 
Profuse  thy  miracles  magnificent ! 
To  gold  thy  touch  the  basest  element 

Transmutes  ;  to  silk  converts  the  leaflet  sere ; 

Illumined  by  thy  glance,  the  mists  appear 
An  arch  of  glory  in  the  firmament. 
The  arrow  flames  a  meteor  from  thy  hand ; 

Yawning  barrancas  smile  like  Eden's  bowers  ; 
Even  error  we  forget  to  reprimand, 

Festooned  with  grace,  and  veiled  o'er  with  flowers. 
Why  linked  with  vice,  thy  birth  dishonoring, 
Shouldst  thou  thy  plumage  stain,  and  stoop  thy  lofty 
wing? 


WHO    SHALL    BE    CKOWNED? 

A  SONNET. 

Bring  forth  the  wreath  the  worthiest  to  crown  ; 

But  who  of  mortals  shall  the  worthiest  be  ; 

Who  best  deserveth  immortality — 
A  name  the  listening  ages  shall  send  down, 
Imperishable,  unrevoked  renown  ? 

Is  it  the  soldier  breathing  fierce  commands, 

Pride  on  his  brow  and  gore  upon  his  hands, 
Begrimed  with  smoke  from  many  a  burning  town  ? 
Is  it  the  scholar,  bent,  but  not  with  years, 

Wrinkled  and  lean,  from  studious  vigils  pale ; 
Who  in  his  nearest  volume  never  peers, 

Unknowing  what  his  own  heart  may  reveal  ? 
Crown  thou  the  man  himself  ivho  knows  ;  nay,  more, 
Subdues  ;  of  prejudice,  pride,  passion — conqueror. 


THE  COTTEK'S  SATUEDAY  NIGHT. 

A  SONNET. 

I  love  the  Ayrshire  ploughman,  strong  and  bright, 
As  his  own  share  that  spared  the  daisy's  blush  : 
What  peals  of  merriment  tumultuous  rush 

At  thought  of  Tarn  and  Alloway's  wild  night, 

The  drouthy  skellum,  and  his  maudlin  fright ! 
Pensive  the  strain,  and  soft  as  evening's  hush, 
When  Highland  Mary  bids  the  tear-drop  gush, 

Or  Nature's  praise  inspires  a  mild  delight. 

Nor  less  to  memory  dear  the  charming  scene 
Of  the  douce  Cotter's  modest,  happy  home  ; 

The  patriarch's  lyart  locks  and  reverent  mien, 
The  artless  anthem,  and  the  sacred  tome, 

A  Household  altar,  with  a  glory  sheen 

That  seldom  gilds  the  proud  cathedral's  dome. 


'•. 


EVENTIDE. 

"I  have  always  found  that  the  fittest  time  for  myself  is  the  even- 
ing, from  sun-setting  to  the  twilight.  I  the  rather  mention  this,  because 
it  was  the  experience  of  a  better  and  wiser  man  ;  for  it  is  expressly  said, 
1  Isaac  went  out  to  meditate  in  the  field  at  the  eventide.'  "—Baxter. 


There  is  an  hour  when  he,  whose  soul  is  given 
To  sober  contemplation,  loves  to  stroll 
With  noiseless  step  along  the  dusky  glade, 
And  bare  his  brow  to  woo  the  cooling  breeze. 
The  sun  trails  o'er  the  ground  his  level  ray, 
And  slowly  sinking,  veils  his  ardent  orb 
In  canopies  of  purple  and  of  gold  ; 
A  rich  pavilion  on  th'  horizon  reared, 
"Whore  streaming  banners  float  with  regal  pomp, 
In  gorgeous  crimson,  or  in  amber  clear. 
But  when  the  brilliant  monarch  drops  from  sight, 
And  the  gray  clouds,  like  courtiers  out  of  place, 
Disport  in  flaunting  liveries  no  more, 
Then  comes  the  hour,  still  twilight's  solemn  hour, 
To  meditation  sacred,  and  the  thoughts 
Which,  shaking  off  the  world,  look  up  to  heaven. 


EVENTIDE.  159 

Then,  one  by  one,  peep  forth  the  meek-eyed  stars, 
Showering  down  radiance  from  their  golden  urns, 
And  sweetly  trembling  on  the  lucid  waves ; 
Then  queenly  Night  with  quiet  hand  unlocks 
The  gorgeous  jewel-chamber  of  the  skies, 
And  binds  upon  her  pure  and  polished  brow 
The  sparkling  splendors  of  her  mystic  reign. 
There  Sinus  burns,  a  diamond  unstained, 
And  red  Arcturus  flames  undimmed  by  age ; 
There  ruby,  amethyst,  and  topaz  vie, 
And  milder  emerald  sheds  its  paly  ray. 

A  calm  and  hallowed  quiet  breathes  around, 
Scarce  interrupted  by  the  rustling  leaf, 
Or  city's  distant  hum,  subdued  and  faint, 
Or  cricket's  chirp,  or  katydid's  shrill  pipe, 
Or  nestling  birds,  that,  twittering  on  their  perch, 
Wake  the  taint  echoes  of  the  darkening  grove. 
Who  has  not  owned  the  witchery  of  that  hour, 
"When,  sauntering  to  some  cool,  delicious  haunt 
Familiar  to  his  steps — some  rustic  bridge, 
With  striding  arch  so  regularly  round — 
His  heart  forgets  the  trivial  cares  of  life, 
Th'  ignoble,  numerous  anxieties, 
Earth-born,  and  earthward  tending,  that  subdue 
And  tame  to  their  dull  level  the  poor  drudge  ! 
Forgotten  all ! — the  strife  for  power  and  place  ; 
The  scowl  of  Envy  ;  the  envenomed  sting 
Of  Calumny  ;  the  oppressive  hand  of  Power  ; 


1G0  EVENTIDE. 

The  hollow  smile  of  cold  Civility  ; 
The  superciliousness  of  haughty  Bank  ; 
The  coarse  and  vulgar  jest  of  upstart  Wealth  ; 
All  lade  from  view  ;  as  lovers  at  their  tryst 
Heed  not  the  hell  that  tells  of  wasting  time. 

His  eye,  delighted,  scans  the  varied  scene, 
Or  grand,  or  beautiful  ;  and  as  the  nerve 
The  image  to  the  sensory  conveys, 
(Of  busy  Thought,  mysterious  seat  and  throne  !) 
His  heart  with  conscious  happiness  dilates. 
Not  such  from  Delphian  cleft  the  boisterous  airs, 
That  fiercely  shook  the  bosom  they  inspired. 
As  hovereth,  on  noiseless  wing,  the  bee 
To  rob  the  honeysuckle  of  its  dew — 
As  openeth  its  cup  the  flower  of  eve, 
To  drink  the  zephyr's  fresh  and  balmy  kiss — 
So  the  wrapt  soul,  in  quiet  transport  bathed, 
Is  mellowed  into  exquisite  repose. 

Nor  could  the  Sabine  more  desire  the  hour 
That  brought  him  to  his  loved  Egeria's  side, 
Than  he  to  whom  sweet  Nature's  face  is  dear, 
Longs  for  the  moment  when  he  can  escaj^e 
From  dust  and  turmoil,  tranquilly  to  gaze 
On  soft  green  mead,  the  mountain's  waving  line, 
The  crag  abrupt,  or  rivulet's  foamy  plunge; 
Nor  recks  he,  though  the  world  may  shake  the  head, 
And  scorn  the  musing,  visionary  man. 


EVENTIDE.  1GJ 

Even  in  boyhood's  years,  ere  yet  he  knew 
What  the  strange  feeling  was,  he  learned  to  love 
Th'  unlonely  solitude  of  wood  and  glen. 
His  schoolmates  might  the  bounding  ball  propel, 
Upheave  the  massy  quoit  with  sinewy  arm, 
Or  straining  in  the  leap,  surpass  the  mark  ; 
In  petty  sports  like  these  he  little  joyed, 
And  though  he  gazed  and  wondered  at  the  feat, 
He  burned  not  with  an  emulative  zeal. 
He  rather  chose  to  ramble  by  the  brink 
Of  some  cool  plashing  waterfall,  where  shade 
Of  spreading  sycamore  and  poplar  tall 
To  soft  repose  invited.     There  he  lay, 
Outstretched  for  hours  upon  the  velvet  sward, 
While  murmuring  winds  and  waters,  all  day  long, 
Intoned  their  dreamy  music  in  his  ear. 
And  so  he  grew  to  manhood.     What  the  boy 
Did  love,  still  loves  the  man — to  seek  the  shade, 
And  people  solitude  with  busy  thoughts. 

Then  fancy  bids  the  scenes  of  former  days 
Revive  again,  and  walk  their  stirring  round. 
Then  Athens  from  her  ruins  seems  to  rise, 
And  shake  the  dust  of  ages  from  her  brow, 
Such  as  at  Marathon  or  Salamis 
She  frowned  the  Eastern  despot  into  awe. 
Again  the  sunbeams  glance  on  colonnade 
And  heavy- sculptured  frieze,  whose  marble  forms 
Start  into  life,  and  lead  the  solemn  pomp. 


162  EVENTIDE. 

Again  the  glorious  dreamer  of  the  grove, 
With  honeyed  accents  wins  the  wayward  youth. 

Anon  the  vision  shifts  to  Salem's  towers, 
And  that  sad  tomb  where  once  reposed  the  head 
Thorn-crowned,  the  heart  that  hied  upon  the  spear. 
Like  some  stout  cliff  that  breasts  the  surge  unmoved, 
The  Soldan  fierce  beats  back  Lord  Godfrey's  foin ; 
Or  Tancred  sore  bewails  his  Pagan  maid, 
Killed  and  baptized  by  his  unwitting  hand  ; 
Or  brave  Rinaldo  stays  Armida's  steel, 
Her  lovely  bosom  ere  th'  enchantress  wounds, 
And  two  estranged  hearts  are  blent  in  one ; 
The  tenderest  scene  the  hapless  bard  e'er  drew. 

Perchance  his  thoughts  a  graver  vein  assume, 
Nor  weave  fantastic  troubles  from  a  shade. 
Turned  from  the  spell  of  genius,  and  the  flame 
That  lights  the  patriot's  path,  the  poet's  lyre, 
He  meditates  upon  the  state  of  man,  the  ills 
That  crush  his  hopes  when  fairest  bourgeoning — 
Benumb  youth's  sanguine  ardor — turn  to  gall 
The  unsuspecting  trust  of  love  betrayed. 
So  the  light  sail  spreads  gaily  to  the  breeze, 
On  the  clear  bosom  of  the  placid  sea, 
While  summer  skies  invite  to  confidence ; 
But,  ere  the  song  has  ceased  its  buoyant  strain. 
The  black  cloud  hovers,  and  the  roughening  breeze 


EVENTIDE.  163 

Increases  to  a  gale  ;  the  swelling  gale 
Becomes  a  piping  blast ;  the  blast  a  storm  ; 
Then  stream  the  sails  in  ribbons  ;  fall  the  masts  ; 
The  foamy  billows  o'er  the  bulwarks  sweep  ; 
And  disobedient  to  the  helm,  the  bark 
Is  dashed  upon  the  breakers.     There  she  lies, 
Another  victim  of  the  treacherous  deep. 

O  beauteous  Star  of  Evening  !  lucid  orb, 
Pure  and  serene,  all  bathed  in  tenderness  ! 
Thou  mind'st  me  of  that  sweeter  Star  of  Hope, 
To  sin- wrecked  souls  on  Life's  tempestuous  sea. 
That  hallowed  beam — may  it  my  footsteps  guide 
Where  those  of  Eastern  Sages  erst  were  led  ! 


THE    OLD    MAN. 

Returnless  years  of  youth  and  plcasance  past, 
Why  have  ye  spread  the  wing,  and  fled  so  fast; 
And  left  me  thus,  in  blank  amaze  to  stand, 
A  hopeless  wreck  on  life's  deserted  strand ; 
While  memory  vainly  lingers  near  the  shore, 
Bridging  the  roaring  seas  and  time-gulfs  o'er  ? 

A  thousand  recollections  pour  their  tide ; 
A  thousand  early  dreams  before  me  glide ; 
A  thousand  goodly  plans,  dispersed  in  smoke ; 
A  thousand  healthful  vows  forgot  and  broke. 
Vanished,  the  fond  conceits  that  fired  my  blood, 
Ranking  me  with  the  laurelled  brotherhood ; 
Vanished,  the  visions  of  high-pillared  fame, 
A  nation's  worship,  and  a  world-wide  name. 
The  night  shuts  in  ;  few  sands  remain  to  run ; 
And  life's  great  purpose  scarcely  is  begun. 
Errors  and  frailties  rise  in  long  review, 
The  ill  I've  done,  the  good  I've  failed  to  do  ; — 
Oh,  human  nature  !   still,  'mid  my  chagrins, 
Blushing  for  follies  oftcner  than  for  sins. 


THE     OLD     MAX.  165 

Could  I  thy  wheels,  inexorable  Time, 
Eoll  back  ! — but  no  !  a  laggard  in  my  prime, 
Vain  all  resolves  ;  to  the  propitious  hour 
Unequal  once,  unequal  evermore. 

My  hollow  temples,  sprent  with  wintry  snow, 
Bear  the  deep  footprint  of  the  tell-tale  crow  ; 
The  eye  asks  aid,  the  sinewy  limb  is  shrunk  ; 
The  cheek,  once  plump  and  ruddy,  wan  and  sunk  ; 
The  young  avoid  me  ;  though,  methinks  I  feel 
Light  as  a  lapwing,  and  as  gleeful  still. 

No  more  can  be  disguised  th'  unwelcome  truth ; 
111  fits  me  now  the  levity  of  youth  : 
To  graver  cares  be  my  whole  thoughts  inclined, 
And  loftier  objects  fill  my  serious  mind. 
On  Tully's  charming  page  portrayed  I  see 
The  art  of  growing  old  with  dignity  ; 
While  from  the  wiser  Hebrew  I  may  learn 
To  wreathe  immortal  hopes  around  my  urn. 


AN    EPISTLE    TO  A  YOUNG    LADY, 

WHO    ASKED,    THROUGH    A    CORRESPONDENT,    A    POST- 
SCRIPT  FROM  TnE  AUTHOR, 

"  A  Postscript  "  did  you  say  ?  oh,  no  ! 
I  could  not  bear  to  treat  you  so, 

I'll  send  an  ample  sheet ; 
Pleased,  if  my  unpretending  strain 
Have  power  awhile  to  entertain 

So  great  a  favorite. 

Full  well,  I  ween,  the  courtly  style, 
That  flatters  only  to  beguile, 

You'll  not  expect  from  me ; 
You  wish  me,  and  I  feel  inclined, 
To  utter  all  my  candid  mind, 

In  frank  sincerity. 

'Tis  not  the  charms  that  court  the  view, 
The  rounded  form,  the  brilliant  hue. 

That  I  most  highly  prize  ; 
The  gay  coquette,  the  forward  flirt, 
The  caustic  wit,  the  pedant  pert, 

I  heartily  despise. 


EPISTLE     TO     A     YOUNG     LADY.  16*3 

I  love  intelligence  and  grace 

In  every  look  and  tone  to  trace ; 

A  cheerful,  sunny  smile  ; 
An  unaffected  piety  ; 
A  sweet,  obliging  temper,  free 

From  envy,  spite,  and  guile. 

When  youth  is  past,  and  beauty  flies, 
These  captivating  qualities 

Survive  th'  inferior  wreck  ; 
Relume  the  eye  with  softer  fire, 
Each  feature  with  fresh  charms  inspire, 

And  Time's  rude  inroads  check. 

Be  yours,  my  friend  !  each  lovely  trait, 
That,  like  the  fairy's  fabled  pet, 

Your  lips  may  drop  with  gems  ; 
Each  word  you  utter  fall  in  showers 
Of  pearls,  and  gold,  and  fragrant  flowers, 

And  rings,  and  diadems  ! 


PEAIEIE   SONG. 

i. 

Away  to  the  Prairie,  away,  away  ! 

With  the  first  red  streak  of  breaking  day  ; 

While  the  bees  with  their  hum  wake  the  dogwood 

flowers, 
And  the  mocking-birds  trill  in  the  hazel  bowers. 

II. 

Away  to  the  Prairie,  away,  away  ! 
Where  healthful  breezes  around  us  play  ; 
And  leave  the  close  air  of  the  city  impure, 
With  its  stifling  steams  from  gutter  and  sewer. 

in. 

Away  to  the  Prairie,  away,  away  ! 

Where  never  hypocrisy  learned  to  stray  ; 

But  where  the  brave  hunter,  bold,  manly,  and  true, 

Wears  his  heart  on  the  outside,  all  open  to  view. 


PRAIRIE     SONG.  169 

IY. 

Away  to  the  Prairie,  away,  away  ! 
And  leave  the  false  town,  meretricious  and  gay ; 
Where  all  the  day  long,  rings  the  jargon  of  trade, 
And  the  one  sole  thought  is,  how  money  is  made. 

v. 

Away  to  the  Prairie,  away,  away  ! 
And  the  purest  instincts  of  nature  obey  ; 
Our  wants  are  few,  and  we  will  not  complain, 
While  the  deer  and  the  buffalo  range  the  plain. 

VI. 

Away  to  the  Prairie,  away,  away  ! 
No  grander  temple  wherein  to  pray 
The  sun,  moon,  and  stars  are  its  lamps  alone, 
And  the  winds  and  the  waters  the  psalm  intone. 
8 


LET    THE    OCEAN     HEAVE    TO 
THE    TEMPEST'S    WING! 

i. 

Let  the  ocean  heave  to  the  tempest's  wing, 

And  the  foam-crested  waves  dash  high  ! 
Let  the  winds  through  the  shrouds  all  shrilly  sing, 

And  the  creaking  masts  reply  ! 
Dash  !  dash  !  ye  waves,  with  your  fiercest  spite, 

And  drown  the  ship  in  spray  ; 
I'll  pace  the  deck  with  wild  delight, 

For  I  love  your  boisterous  play. 

II. 
I  love  to  hear  the  thunder  roll 

Above  the  deaf  'ning  blast ; 
And  the  scream  of  the  petrel  thrills  my  soul, 

As  she  flies  like  lightning  past. 
Oh  !  give  me  the  storm  for  a  funeral  dirge, 

To  pour  its  wail  over  me  ; 
For  a  winding-sheet  the  swelling  surge, 

For  a  sepulchre  the  Sea ! 


LET  THE  OCEAN  HEAVE.       171 
IH. 

Down,  down,  a  thousand  fathoms  deep, 

All  on  my  coral  bed  ! 
As  sweet  as  in  hallowed  ground  PU  sleep, 

With  the  marble  o'er  my  head. 
The  tide  may  swell,  and  the  winds  may  rave, 

And  the  storm  in  fury  roll ; 
My  body  I'll  calmly  commit  to  the  wave, 

And  to  Heaven's  sweet  mercy  my  soul. 


CONTENTMENT. 

'•I  have  learned,  in  -whatsoever  state  I  am,  therewith  to  be  content. 
I  know  both  how  to  be  abased,  and  I  know  how  to  abound."— Puil.  iv. 
11,  12. 

Yes  !  Blessed  Paul !  and  well  thou  didst  approve, 
By  self-denying  acts,  thy  fervent  love. 
By  toil,  by  pain,  by  persecution  tried, 
Thy  faithful  trust  in  Jesus  never  died ; 
Nothing  that  well-placed  confidence  could  shake, 
Content  with  all  things  for  thy  Master's  sake. 
By  thee  instructed,  I  would  murmur  less, 
And  learn  the  secret  of  true  happiness. 


THE    MISSIONAKY'S    HYMN. 

INSCRIBED  IN  THE  ALBUM  OF  THE  REV.  RICHARD  ARM- 
STRONG, MISSIONARY  TO  THE  SANDWICH  ISLANDS. 

I. 

Jesus,  Master  !  let  me  hear  thee 

Speak  in  tones  of  tender  love  ! 
Fain  would  I  be  sheltered  near  thee, 

Never  from  thee  would  remove.  ■ 
Was  it  not  thy  blood  that  bought  me, 

And  my  costly  ransom  paid  ; 
Was  it  not  thy  hand  that  brought  me, 

Here  the  Gospel  news  to  spread  ? 

ii. 

I  would  fain  the  precious  story 

To  the  heathen  nations  tell ; 
Tell  them  of  the  Lord  of  Glory, 

How  to  love  Immanuel. 
Grant  me,  Lord,  thy  constant  guiding, 

Lead  me  where  I  ought  to  go  ; 
Let  thy  Spirit's  kind  abiding 

Teach  me  all  I  need  to  know  ! 


174  THE    missionary's    hymn. 

III. 
Give  me  zeal,  and  faith,  and  patience ; 

Strengthen  all  my  mortal  powers  ; 
And,  with  heavenly  consolations, 

Comfort  my  desponding  hours  ! 
Then,  when  life's  last  toils  are  ending, 

Sighs  its  last  my  heaving  breast, 
On  the  wings  of  love  ascending, 

Take  me,  Saviour,  to  thy  rest ! 


COMPENSATIONS, 


Let  us  aye  be  cheerful, 

Whatsoe'er  betide ; 
Life  is  not  all  tearful, 

There's  a  sunny  side. 
Vernal  zephyrs  banish 

Winter's  frosts  afar ; 
Midnight's  spectres  vanish 

With  the  morning  star. 


Every  deep  depression, 

With  its  chills  and  blights, 
Has  a  compensation 

In  the  neighboring  heights. 
Birds  of  plumage  plainest 

Lift  the  sweetest  song ; 
Pangs  that  rack  the  keenest 

Seldom  tarry  long. 


176  COMPENSATIONS. 

III. 

Oft  the  richest  uses 

Come  from  humblest  things, 
As  the  marsh  produces 

Tribes  of  brilliant  wings. 
Larks,  at  heaven's  gate  singing, 

Nestle  in  the  corn  ; 
Mountains,  proudly  springing, 

Were  in  valleys  born. 

IV. 

Churned  from  ocean-chamber, 

'Mid  the  tempest's  roar, 
See  the  precious  amber 

Thrown  upon  the  shore  ! 
So  each  stormy  trial 

Yields  us  fruits  of  good, 
Wisdom,  self-denial, 

Strength,  and  fortitude. 


Ravens  once  did  cater 
To  Elijah's  need ; 

And  a  fish  for  Peter 
Tribute-money  paid. 

There's  a  charming  story, 
How  the  widow's  cruse, 


COMPENSATIONS.  177 

Blest  by  prophet  hoary, 
Poured  an  overplus. 

VI. 

Thorniest  afflictions 

Sharper  might  have  been ; 
Healing  benedictions 

Mitigate  the  pain. 
See  the  Ark  rise  higher, 

With  the  swelling  flood  ; 
Ever  drawing  nigher 

To  the  Mount  of  God ! 

VII. 

'Tis  a  sight  of  beauty, 

When  a  noble  heart 
Bravely  does  its  duty, 

Though  each  fibre  smart. 
Courage,  Faith,  and  Patience, 

Principles  divine, 
In  the  worst  vexations, 

Like  the  rainbow  shine. 


THE    OLIYE    AND    THE    PINE 

Let  others  praise,  in  sounding  phrase, 

The  olive  and  the  vine, 
A  southern  sun's  relaxing  rays 

Shall  be  no  vaunt  of  mine. 
Give  me  the  mountain  capped  with  snow, 

The  crystal  lake  beneath  ! 
Though  keen  the  breezes  o'er  them  blow, 

There's  health  in  every  breath. 

Health  of  the  body  and  the  mind, 

Of  fibre  and  of  thought ; 
Each  motion  free  and  unconfined, 

With  manly  vigor  fraught. 

Jo  O 

The  active  step,  the  beaming  eye, 

The  glow  upon  the  cheek. 
The  ample  forehead,  pure  and  high, 

A  thoughtful  race  bespeak. 

Simple  in  manners  and  in  faith. 

Their  stalwart  tribes  I  e 
Intrepid  champions  to  the  death, 

For  truth  and  liberty. 


THE     OLIVE     AND     THE     PINE.  179 

Then  let  them  praise,  in  sounding  phrase, 

The  olive  and  the  vine ; 
Give  me  the  bracing  wind  that  plays 

Amid  the  mountain  pine  !  * 

*  These  lines  -were  written  in  the  house  of  Dr.  Malan,  in 
Geneva  (March  8,  185V),  after  a  fruitless  winter  spent  in  Italy  in 
quest  of  health.  The  first  feeling  of  amendment  was  perceived 
at  the  foot  of  the  Alps,  and  the  fact  is  gratefully,  if  not  grace- 
fully, commemorated  in  the  foregoing  verses. 


THE    PAGE    OF    LIFE. 

FOR  AN  ALBUM. 

The  Page  of  Life,  like  this  fair  sheet, 

Lies  freshly  opened  at  your  feet, 

As  yet  without  a  blot  or  blur, 

Your  maiden  heart  with  shame  to  stir. 

As  years  their  onward  course  shall  speed, 

How  will  Life's  motley  record  read  ? 

What  tender  memories  shall  rise, 

What  various  souvenirs  meet  your  eyes  ! 

Heaven  grant  that  no  remorseful  feeling 

Shall  spring  to  light  with  Time's  revealing ! 

But  may  the  Angel's  pen,  upon 

The  closing  page,  inscribe,  "  Well  done  !  " 


>  ' 


THE    RESOLVE. 

Josephine,  when  very  young,  was  betrothed  to  the  Viscount  Beau- 
harnais,  but  her  affections  had  been  given  to  William  de  K.  When  she 
was  about  to  leave  for  France,  he  solicited  a  private  interview,  but 
though,  no  doubt,  it  cost  the  tender-hearted  girl  a  severe  struggle,  duty 
prevailed,  and  she  denied  the  request. — Mem.  of  Jos.,  i.  65. 

Yes  !  I  have  loved  thee,  all  too  wildly  loved  thee, 
As  love  the  passionate  children  of  the  sun  ; 

And  when  confiding,  gentle,  kind,  I  proved  thee, 
Not  blood,  but  lava,  through  my  veins  has  run. 

To  see  thee,  hear  thee,  silent  sit  beside  thee, 

No  higher  joys  I  coveted  than  these  ; 
The  hope  is  o'er  ;  but  wheresoe'er  thou  hide  thee, 

There's  none  can  rob  me  of  these  memories. 

From  dreams  of  bliss,  a  glimpse  of  heaven  revealing, 
Now  rudely  waked,  how  mournful  is  my  fate  ! 

Truth,  duty,  honor,  every  noble  feeling, 
Tear  me  away,  and  bid  us  separate. 

Yet  take  with  thee  one  sigh,  heart-heaved  and  tearful, 
One  breathing  prayer  that  happier  days  be  thine  ; 

Thy  bosom's  lord  be  ever  light  and  cheerful, . 
And  round  thy  starlit  brow  may  roses  twine  ! 


THE    IDEAL    IN    ART. 

When  Rome's  imperial  eagle  flapped  his  wings 
O'er  conquered  continents  and  vassal  kings  ; 
While  yet  sweet  Maro's  was  the  mother-tongue, 
And  peasants  spoke  the  language  Flaccus  sung ; 
Triumphant  Art  time-honored  Arms  displaced, 
And  her  own  brow  with  rival  laurels  graced, 
Then  were  the  Arts  as  Liberal  designed, 
Or  Servile  :  these,  to  low-bred  slaves  confined  ; 
The  Liberal,  such  as  Freemen  might  pursue, 
Demanding  intellect  and  leisure  too. 

A  nicer  line  our  moderns  draw  of  late, 
As  usefulness  or  grace  predominate. 
Such  as  the  principles  of  Taste  combine 
With  skill  mechanical,  are  styled  the  Fine; 
The  Useful  Arts  an  humbler  aim  attain, 
Convenience,  or  necessity,  or  gain. 
Tis  Taste  that  must  the  richest  charm  impart, 
The  Inspiration  and  the  Soul  of  Art. 


THE     IDEAL     IX      ART.  183 

Ere  yet  a  simpler  faith  those  dreams  dispelled, 
Beautiful  fictions  !  of  the  days  of  eld, 
Behold  Imagination's  subtle  power 
Peopling  each  sunny  hill  and  shady  bower  ! 
In  every  fount  a  Naiad  cool  disports, 
To  every  sylvan  shade  a  Faun  resorts  ; 
By  her  loved  oak  the  Dryad  keeps  her  ward, 
And  on  the  sea  the  Nereid  is  adored. 

Nor  groundless  quite.     The  social  instincts  lead 

O'er  universal  space  ourself  to  spread  ; 

Transfuse  our  feelings,  morbid  or  elate, 

And  Nature  echoes  but  what  we  dictate. 

The  landscape  smiles  ;  threaten  the  angry  skies  ; 

Dark  froivns  the  rock  ;  the  rustling  zephyr  sighs  ; 

The  sullen  pool ;  the  cliff's  commanding  brow  ; 

The  laughing  waves  that  play  around  the  prow  ; 

The  cheerful  spring  ; — who  ever  dreams  that  he, 

In  terms  like  these,  is  talking  poetry  % 

'Tis  but  the  social  impulse  that  creates 

Friends  out  of  stones,  and  planets  animates  ; 

In  every  lucid  wave  a  picture  sees, 

And  hears  a  legend  in  each  whispering  breeze. 

If  virgin  nature,  with  a  borrowed  life, 
Thus  breathes  and  speaks,  with  human  feeling  rife, 
Shall  plastic  Art  refuse  her  chartered  skill, 
Nor  mould  the  inert  masses  at  her  will  ? 


1.84  THE-    IDEAL     IN      ART. 

Shall  she  not  haste,  with  trembling  eagerness 
Her  warm  conceptions,  ere  they  fade,  t'  express? 
Till,  waked  to  life  beneath  her  glowing  hand, 
Embodied,  the  Ideal  forth  shall  stand  ; 
And  as  it  meets  th'  entranced  spectator's  eyes, 
Emotions,  to  her  own  responsive,  rise. 

'Twras  thus  the  anguished  chief  Timanthes  drew, 

But  half  concealed,  and  hid  the  face  from  view ; 

'Twas  thus  the  Dying  Gladiator  lay, 

And  thought  of  his  young  Dacians  all  at  play ; 

'Tis  thus  wrild  sounds  from  forest  and  from  field, 

To  rhythm  reduced,  the  ear  fresh  pleasure  yield ; 

The  song  of  birds,  the  hum  of  rural  life, 

The  thunder's  growl,  the  elemental  strife. 

'Tis  thus  columnar  glories  proudly  grow, 

And  nature's  lines  in  stubborn  marble  show. 

From  clustered  shafts  light  springs  the  arch  on  high, 

Again  the  forest-vista  charms  the  eye ; 

While  spires  and  pinnacles  profusely  rise, 

And  lead  devotion  upwrard  to  the  skies ; 

Nature  beholds  her  fairest  works  outdone, 

A  solemn  anthem  in  perpetual  stone  ! 


THE    END. 


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